Reading Leonora Potter and the Philosephers Stone
by Arana'a
Summary: all the characters get together to read the books, sent back in time by a bored Teddy Lupin. warning fem harry. rated m for child abuse.
1. Chapter 1

Hello every one!

This is my newest fanfic! This one is where the characters read the harry potter books. I'm making harry a girl called Leonora. I'll be doing some time travel, changing pairings from cannon, and I'll be changing the allegiances of the characters. I'll also be adding my own bits into the book.

This is just the prologue, and it is short, so please just be patient. The rest of it is good!

Disclaimer: all the characters and storyline belong to J.K., but I'm claiming Leonora for myself.

Aranaá

Leonora potter walked out of the dungeons, trailing behind her two best friends. Ron Weasley and Hermione granger were arguing, and they seemed to be doing it constantly, and over almost everything. Today, however, she agreed with them, or Hermione, at any rate. They had just come from another one of Umbridge's examination lessons, this time with the horrible professor Snape.

"I think we should be a little nicer to Snape," argued Hermione.

"He's a git Hermione, and he always has been. Even if we start being nice to him, he'll still pick on us. Even though neither of us like Umbridge," persisted Ron, "What do you think Leo?"

"I agree with Hermione," said Leonora, "Being nasty to Snape will only give more of an excuse to pick on us. If we treat him nicely, then he'll look like the bad guy…"

"Which he already does," muttered Ron.

"We should be nice to all of our teachers, 'cause that makes Umbridge look even worse. She won't have a reason to pick on us then. We'll have to be really careful so we don't screw up. It'll make her look like a really bad guy," continued Hermione.

"If I play the part of the traumatised student, then it'll help. We could get all of Cedric's friends to help us, and be supporting of us, that way, we'll make Umbridge look even worse," pondered Leonora, leaving Ron gaping at her, and Hermione smirking evilly, "After all Ron, all we have to do is make Umbridge look bad. Who cares how we do it! We can go back to hating Snape next year,"

"Yeah. She'll only last for a year anyway, 'cause of the curse. And we're only pretending, aren't we?" said Ron, finally seeing the light.

"Yea- OMG! What is that!" screeched Hermione, when they were suddenly blinded by a piercing white light. They saw a pulsing white ball that rapidly changed colour, making them dizzy. It continued to pulse for a moment, before exploding, and knocking them out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello all my beautiful readers! The last chapter was a bit of a taster to draw you in, and now, here is the real meat of the story. Basically, Teddy Lupin has pulled all of these people into this room in an attempt to change the future.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series, but I do own Leonora.**

When they came to, they were seated in a brightly coloured room, filled with chairs and couches and beanbags. The walls were a bright myriad of colours, reminding them of the ball of light.

"O great Merlin!" groaned Leo, "My head feels like a mountain troll sat on it!"

"And you're not the only one!" moaned Hermione.

"Where are we?" asked Ron, looking around.

"Aren't you in pain?" asked Hermione.

"Nah!" said Ron brightly, before quickly ducking the pillow thrown at him by Hermione, "What'd I do?" he cried, his hands over his head.

"I always knew he had a thick skull," smirked Leo.

"Hey!" protested Ron, throwing a round cushion at her.

"Oh, this is so on!" said Leo, catching the pillow, "Pillow Fight!" she yelled, brandishing the pillow. The three of them then proceeded to run around the room, belting each other with the pillows and cushions that lay around. In their fun, they didn't notice as a door opened to admit 11 people into the room.

"They're not even in their pyjamas," sniffed Nymphadora Tonks critically.

"Hey I you three know that you are 15 right? "Called Sirius Black. The 3 of them immediately stopped running around and stood in the middle of the room, allowing small whitleathers to slowly drift to the ground like snow.

"Yeah, we know," they said, in unison.

"Merlin, it's like they rehearsed it." Muttered Sirius, inwardly thinking being how cute Leo looked in her miniskirt. He was completely unaware that his Goddaughter was admiring him.= in return.

"So, do you know where we are?" asked Ron.

Yeah and why is Malfoy with you?" sniffed Hermione.

"And, why are we all here?" asked Leo, just for the fun of it.

"To answer your question Ronniekins" said George.

"This is the place that no-one has a clue as to where it is," finished Fred happily.

"Thanks," said Ron sarcastically.

"As to why the Malfoy's are here," said Sirius importantly, missing Narcissa Malfoy's glare, "I have allowed them to be here because they share blood with the glorious me!" he spread his arms wide open, then ducked his cousin hit, "Come on Cissa, I was kidding!" He glared at the sniggering Leo

"And finally, to Leonora," said Remus Lupin, "we don't know why we are here; we just appear in this room,"

"Okay," said Leo happily.

They all looked at each other for a bit, before walking through the door into a kitchen.

"Soo," said Leo after a bit, "What other rooms are there in the house?"

"Well, there's the kitchen and the dining room," answered Draco Malfoy, "And upstairs there are bedrooms which label themselves as we appear, and the room which we just came out of. Each bedroom has a bathroom attached,"

"You do know who we are, right?" asked Hermione.

"Of course I know Granger," said Draco.

"So why are you being so nice?" she asked.

"Well Hermione, friends are allowed to be nice to each other," smirked Leo.

"Excuse me!" said Fred

"Friends?" continued George.

"Since when…"

"Have you been friends with Malfoy?"

"Since last year," said Draco smugly.

"You do remember the Yule Ball," said Leo in the same tone.

"Yeah, but we thought you were confounded or drunk," said Ron.

"Did we look like were?" asked Leo.

"We didn't notice. Just the two of you together was enough to leave us in shock," said Hermione.

"And here were we thinking that everyone was gobsmacked by our stunning appearances," said Draco.

"Where do you think I go in the night?" said Leo.

"I thought you just needed a walk to clear your head." Said Hermione.

"No, rather my lovely ferret Coco-bear," giggled Leo.

"I told you to never call me by that name Potter!" roared Draco, going a bright red. Every one turned to him, sniggering.

"Coco-bear?" squeaked Ron, struggling to hold in his laughs.

"If you ever say that again Weasley, I'll castrate you!" growled Draco.

"Might I ask what you were doing with my goddaughter alone?" growled a seething Sirius. He was seeing red at the thought of Leo alone with a boy, let alone a part Veela like Draco.

"Talking," said Draco.

"Snuggling," giggled Leo.

"Studying," said Draco, glaring at Leo.

"Kissing," teased Leo.

"We never did potter, only that time under the mistletoe. And we have never snuggled!" he growled, going a bright red.

"Yeah, what about the time in the park, on Christmas?" asked Leo.

"We were keeping warm, not snuggling!" he growled, ignoring a seething Sirius, and his stunned parents.

"Still counts Coco," cooed Leo.

"I told you to never call me that," roared Draco, lunging for Leo's throat. They fell in a tangled heap, fists flying, and yelps of pain sounding.

"Draco Malfoy!" yelled his mother, "What do you think you are doing, hitting a woman! Get up and apologise, you filthy undisciplined brat! You are a disgrace to the House of Malfoy!" she continued to yell at her son and at her cousin, and husband, but Draco payed her no attention, concentrating on strangling the girl underneath him. She was laughing throwing punches at his ribs. Finally Charlie Weasley pulled them apart. Leo stood there laughing madly, while Draco glared at her, muttering threats under his breath. Immediately, his mother grabbed his ear, and dragged him out of the room.

Sirius looked at the laughing Leo, & smiled inwardly at the beautiful music that was her laugh.

"So, anyone has something to eat," asked Ron, looking around. Hermione rolled her eyes, and cuffed him over the head, "What?" he cried, scuttling away from her.

"Do you only think about eating?" she asked exasperatedly.

"No, I sometimes think about Quidditch too," he said.

"You know Sirius," said Leo, ignoring her two friends, "Mrs Malfoy is a lot like your mother. She certainly shares your mother's hatred of you," she smiled impishly at him, and Sirius found himself drowning in her green eyes.

"It's the veela blood in the family," he replied.

"Well you don't look remotely charming, so maybe you were adopted," teased Leo, and his heart contracted with the thought that she didn't find him attractive but he then remembered that she was teasing him.

"Maybe," he replied, "After all, I am the white sheep of the Black family,"

"What about my mother?" asked Tonks.

"Oh, your mother just had a different opinion to everyone else," said Sirius.

"So she's not adopted like you?" asked Hermione.

"No. she resembles her sister Bellatrix quite a bit, and she was in Slytherin," said Remus.

"You mean there is actually a nice Slytherin out there?" asked Ron incredulously.

"Yes," said Sirius distractedly.

"What are you thinking about Siri?" asked Leo.

"Siri?" he asked, turning to her. It sounded suspiciously like a pet name & his heart swelled._ I wonder if James felt this way every time he saw lily? No! l am not in Love with Leo. I'm just happy to see her again after 13 years!_

"Everyone needs a nick name. Hermione is 'Mione, Ron is Ron, Fred and George are Gred and Forge, Draco is Coco, and you are Siri," she smiled innocently up at him, her eyes wide.

"You are too smart for your own good Leonora Potter. I was thinking that it's about time someone else came through the door," he said, a little grumpily.

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"Because people come through every 10 minutes," explained Charlie. Just then, Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour walked through the door.

"Oh, hello," said Bill looking around.

"Hey Bill," replied Fred and George, "We're bored. Entertain us."

"You two always manage to entertain yourselves. Why do you need me?" he asked, giving them a look. Fluer quietly went into the kitchen, nodding to Leo as she passed.

"Because Charlie doesn't do anything, and Ron only eats. And we see that every day. Entertain us!" they cried.

"It's amazing to see that the Twins are so childish. But that must be a by-product of all pranksters. Luckily Professor Lupin doesn't suffer from it," said Leo snidely.

"Please don't do that Leo. You sound like Snape," said Ron with a pained voice.

"I am not childish!" protested Sirius pouting.

"How many adults pout Sirius?" asked Leo thinking he looked adorable when he pouted of she stopped for a moment._ I wonder why, always notice these things about Sirius? Nah, I'm just being over paranoid. It's normal to notice these things about a guy. I'm just pubescent_

"I do not pout!" he protested, pouting again, and causing the twins to snigger.

"You just did," replied Leo, with a smug smirk. Sirius stalked away, muttering under his breath about kids who were too smart for their own good.

"Alright, alright! I said I was sorry!" said Draco, hurrying into the room. His mother walked out after him. She glared at her cousin and son, before dragging her husband out of the room. Lucius followed meekly, sensing that his wife was not to be messed with now.

"What's the matter?" asked Leo, grinning.

"Shut up Potter. This is your fault!" snarled Draco.

"Be nice Draco," said Blaise Zabini, walking into the room.

"Blaise. How did you get here?" asked Ginny warmly, completely missing her brothers suspicious looks.

"Through the door. A could swear a ball of multi coloured light brought me here, but that might have been my imagination," replied Blaise, smiling at her.

"Don't worry, it wasn't your imagination. We got here the same way too," said Leo.

"Nice way to be reassuring Leo," said Blaise.

"No charge," said Leo, smiling dreamily.

"You look an awful lot like Luna Lovegood," said Ron.

"I do not!" protested Leo.

"You do when you act all dreamy and out of it," said Blaise.

"OMG! You actually agreed with Ron!" cried Ginny.

"Shut up Weasley!" snapped Blaise, blushing slightly.

"Why Blaise, I do believe you are blushing," teased Leo.

"Whatever are you thinking about that makes you red," continued Ginny.

"Ah leave off you two," growled Blaise, before stalking over to Draco, who was standing in a corner, glaring at Leo. They started to mutter together, pausing every so often to glare murderously at Ginny and Leo.

"They're glaring at us, aren't they?" giggled Leo to Ginny.

"Yep!" replied Ginny. All of her brothers turned to glare suspiciously at them.

"Ginny, Leo. Why don't you two help me make lunch?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"Sure thing Mrs Weasley," said Leo. Every one walked out of the room. Ginny and Leo started to work, still giggling.

"Does anyone else get the feeling that the four of them know each other?" asked Hermione.

"Which four?" asked Ron.

"Leo, Ginny, Malfoy and Zabini," replied Hermione, looking at Ron as if she had just grown an extra head.

"Uh, well yeah, I suppose," said Ron.

"And you're okay with it?" asked Hermione incredulously.

"No, but I'm sure Leo has a good reason, which she will tell us when she gets around to it," defended Ron.

"Really Hermione, after 5 years of being with Ron, you still don't know what he's like," Fred and George came up from behind Hermione, and put their arms around her, "He doesn't get very upset over people like Leo, cause he knows that their smarter than everyone else, and that they probably have a good reason for what they do, even if it's something he doesn't agree with,"

"Seriously?" asked Hermione with raised eyebrows, "Cause that is not what Ron has displayed these past 5 years,"

"That's cause he gets a little emotional at times," said Ginny, coming back into the room.

"A little?" asked Leo, following her.

"Good point," said Ginny. Just then, the door to the arrivals room opened, and Neville and Luna walked in.

"Hey every one," said Neville.

"Hiya Neville," smiled Leo, "Hey Luna!"

"Hello," smiled Luna.

"So, is dinner ready as yet?" asked Ron, looking around.

"No Ron!" said Ginny exasperatedly.

"Mrs Weasley says that we'll eat when everyone arrives," said Leo.

"How do we know when ever y one arrives?" asked Charlie.

"Well, only 26 people are coming, so when we have 26 people, we'll start to eat," said Leo.

"What!" complained Ron.

"For once, I have to agree with the Weasel. It's lunchtime now. We have to eat!" said Draco.

"No, absolutely not," said Ginny, glaring at him.

"But…"

"No!" said Leo flatly, causing Draco to grumble under his breath.

"Um, am I missing something?" asked Neville, looking at Leo and Draco.

"Yeah, Leo and Malfoy are _friends_," said Ron, somehow managing to put a sneer into it.

"What's the matter Ron? Afraid Draco will take your place as best friend?" asked Leo.

"No, I'm just surprised at the fact that _Malfoy_ can be a friend," said Ron, a little bit sheepishly.

"Yeah, that and the fear that Draco will replace him," whispered Ginny to Blaise, causing him to snigger.

"Oi! What are you two laughing about?" asked Bill suspiciously.

"Nothing," said Ginny sweetly, as her brothers started to glare at Blaise.

"Hey Gin, your brothers are creepy and scary," muttered Blaise to her, as he started to edge towards Leo.

"I know. It makes my social life almost non-existent," replied Ginny. Blaise laughed nervously, and then somehow managed to make hiding behind Leo completely snobby.

"Sweet merlin Blaise, how do you do that? Asked Leo.

"Do what?" he asked innocently.

"Make hiding behind me like a pansy look cool and nonchalant," she replied.

"I'm not hiding behind you. I'm just putting something in-between me and Ginny's brothers," he said innocently.

"Really?" said Draco sarcastically, "And would that something be Leo and me?"

"Possibly," replied Blaise.

"As I said, _Pansy_!" teased Leo.

"Might I point out that Pansy isn't actually afraid of anything except for losing all of her money, and not being able to go shopping. She'd risk the wrath of the dark lord himself if there was a benefit for her," pointed out Blaise.

"Alright then, _Wuss_!" said Leo.

"I am not!" protested Blaise.

"Moving on," said Ginny hurriedly.

"Why?" asked Charlie, "this promises to be fun,"

"No it won't. It'll just be an annoying display of childishness," said Ginny tiredly. They turned to see Blaise glaring at the smirking Leo and Draco.

The door opened again to admit a trio of girls. The looked around, and their eyes widened when they saw Leo, Draco and Blaise standing together.

"Hey Leo," called Angelina Johnson, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, "What are you doing with _them_?"

"They are my friends," said Leo, "And I have a copy of all of their Quidditch plans," she smirked.

"Oi!" protested Draco, "You promised that they wouldn't be used against us!"

"When it comes to Quidditch Draco, I think that all promises are generally null," said Leo, "Besides, I'm part Slytherin, part Gryffindor,"

"No you're not," said Katie Bell.

"Yeah I am. The sorting hat said that there as a fifty-fifty chance that I could get into Slytherin or Gryffindor, but Slytherin didn't really sound appealing at the time," said Leo cheerfully. She then added as an afterthought, "Still don't to be honest,"

"Thank heavens!" said Draco dramatically, "I don't think I would have been able to survive with you in Slytherin,"

Draco and Leo turned to see the three Gryffindor chasers staring at them

"What is happening?" asked Alicia Spinnet weakly.

"They're acting like _friends_!" continued Katie

"Why!" wailed Angelina, "Where did we go wrong! She's friends with a Slytherin!"

"Angie, weren't you listening?" asked Leo soothingly, " I am part Slytherin part Gryffindor,"

"But you are currently in Gryffindor, so you can't be friends with a Slytherin until you leave school!" protested Angelina.

"What do you mean, until she leaves school?" asked Sirius, "She shouldn't be friends with a Slytherin, period!"

"Uhh…Leo, is that who I think it is?" asked Angelina worriedly.

"It depends on who you think it is," replied Leo.

"Um, Sirius Black," supplied Alicia timidly.

"Yeah," said Sirius vaguely, turning towards her, "What's the matter?"

"Leo," stuttered Angelina, "That's _the_ Sirius Black! The mass murderer!"

"No, he is innocent!" protested Leo.

"He was framed for all of the murders," said Remus.

"Professor Lupin!" said Katie happily.

"Hello," smiled Remus.

"Any way," said Leo, "I trust Sirius. And he is my godfather too, so my parents trusted him too,"

"And look where that ended up," muttered Sirius gloomily, "I was the reason that they chose Wormtail as a secret keeper,"

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself Siri!" chastised Leo.

"You couldn't have known that he would betray you," continued Hermione.

"How do you know him?" asked Katie suspiciously.

"We met in my third year, you know, around the incident with Professor Mooney turning into a werewolf, and Siri getting caught," said Leo.

"Moving back to the point," growled Sirius, "as a Gryffindor, you shouldn't be friends with a Slytherin, or they'll corrupt you,"

"What about my mother?" asked Tonks, "She's a Slytherin,"

"Yeah, but she was disowned by the family for being too nice," said Sirius.

"You're so hypocritical Siri," said Leo, "your just jealous that I'm spending more time with a _Slytherin_ than with you,"

"Am not!" protested Sirius, lying right through his teeth.

"Are too!" smirked Leo, causing everyone to snigger, and Sirius stalked off to sulk again.

"Sirius, your showing how old you are mentally," said Remus, smiling at the sulking Sirius.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sirius snappishly.

"Nothing," smiled Remus, "so Leo, who else is coming?"

"I don't actually know," admitted Leo, "I was just told that 26 people are coming,"

The door opened to admit Andromeda Tonks, Nymphadora's mother. "Hello Andy," said Remus.

"Hey mum," said Tank's.

"Hello my dear." Said Andromeda, "Why is Sirius sulking in a corner?"

"Because every one's making fun of him," smiled Tonks.

"He always did that," said Andromeda, "I thought he would have grown out of it by now, but he hasn't. I suppose he always be a little child mentally,"

"Why are you all ganging up on me?" complained Sirius.

"Because it's fun," smiled Leo. He pouted again, and turned away.

"Oh Sirius, are you ever going to grow up?" laughed Andromeda.

"Nope!" said Sirius, popping the 'p', and making Leo giggle slightly.

"You know, I don't think that I wanna grow up either," said Leo seriously.

"It would be fun to just remain kids for the rest of our lives," said Hermione wistfully.

"What does that mean?" asked Remus.

"We never got to really be kids," said Ron.

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"Well there was always the 'save the entire wizarding world' thing," said Leo.

"But why you?" asked Tonks, "Why not more experienced wizards?"

"Because they never could see the solution, and in many cases, they never even saw the problem," said Leo sharply.

"I think they were too stuck in their ways to see what we see. Because we are still young, we can see things without discrimination, and we are more prone to believing in what others pass off as impossible," said Luna thoughtfully

"That is very insightful of you Ms Lovegood," said Remus.

"Thankyou Professor Lupin," smiled Luna.

"so basically, we're all old people who are to stuck in our old fashioned ways to see the problems," said Sirius, feeling a little depressed.

"That is one interpretation of it," said Leo carefully, "but, it might also have something to do with the fact that every thing that relates to a problem comes to us,"

"And why is that?" asked Sirius.

"Well, if I knew that Sirius, I'd stop it," said Leo.

"well, sorry!" said Sirius. He glared at her, completely unaware that she was melting under his intense gaze.

"So, is everyone here as yet?" asked Ron.

"No Ronald!" said Hermione exasperatedly, "Why don't you count the people in the house thingy, and see of we have 26 people,"

"Okay," said Ron, wandering off.

"He forget to count the people in this room," said Leo.

"is that a surprise?" asked Ginny.

"No Ms Weasley, it is not," said Professor McGonagall.

"Oh hello Professor, when did you get here?" asked Leo brightly.

"Just now Ms Potter," said McGonagall.

"And you wonder why she always gets away with things," said Fred and George.

"What do you mean?" asked Sirius.

"It's her perfect innocent face, and that bright voice of hers. It makes her seem as if she's never done anything wrong in her life," explained George.

"The annoying thing is that she always gets away, leaving us to get caught," grumbled Fred.

"I know what you mean," said Sirius, "Mooney always got away with everything because he was a perfect student and had the most innocent face,"

"Can I be blamed for how I look?" asks Remus innocently.

"Yes!" says Sirius, "Do you know how annoying it was to have girls staring dreamily at you while James and I couldn't do anything to get rid of them? And what was even more annoying was the fact that you didn't notice any of them! They used to come to us to see if we could get you to notice them," Sirius continued to rant, waving his arms in the air.

"Hey Narcissa," whispered Remus, "Is what Sirius saying true?"

"Yes," said Narcissa tiredly, "He used to go on about it all the time"

"Oh," said Remus sheepishly.

"We even had a few complaints about it," said McGonagall, "Most of them from Sirius and James, who claimed that they couldn't concentrate, and that it was depressing,"

"Uh hum," said Remus, smiling now.

"I'll bet they were just jealous they didn't get as much attention," said Leo.

"Oh, they got plenty of attention. Almost every girl in the school was falling over them," said Remus.

"And the rest were falling over you," said Hermione.

"Possibly. I always wondered why they were following me," said Remus thoughtfully.

"Men!" said Tonks exasperatedly, "They're all completely clueless!"

"Isn't that the truth," smirked Ginny and Leo in unison, smirking at Draco.

"what is the matter with you two?" he snapped at them.

"nothing," they said innocently, still smirking.

Draco glared at them for a bit, before wandering off. He found Blaise, and pulled him to the side.

"Hey Blaise, do you know what they were going on about?" he asked quietly.

"man, you really are clueless," smirked Blaise.

"Great, so you're in on it too," growled Draco, stalking off and leaving Blaise sniggering. He was soon joined by an amused Ginny and Leo.

"You'ld think that he would know who he likes," said Blaise

"But, being Drcao, he is in denial," said Ginny.

"He can't accept that he has a crush on Mione," smiled Leo.

"I think he knows, it's just that he can't accept that it's Hermione," mused Ginny.

"How long has he liked her?" asked Blaise.

"Since thirdf grade when she punched him in the face. I think that was when he started to admire her nerve. It wasn't until fourth year, during the yule ball that he actually started to like her. I had to shut his mouth when it flopped open. He was gobsmacked about her appearance." Said Leo. Despite what every one thought, she was closer to Draco than Blaise.

Just then, the door opened to admit Severus Snape, the dreaded bat of the dungeons. Blaise immediately stalked towards his Head of house, acting as if he had no care for Ginny and Leo. In return, ginny and Leo sneered at his stiff back. Leo looked around to find the rest of the order looking a little stiff, and Sirius looked as if he wanted to kill snape. The rest of the students were glaring at the hated professor.

"Well well well, what is going on here?" sneered Snape.

"Why don't you use your eyes Snape, and see," suggested Sirius snidely.

"well, if it isn't every one's favoured mutt," sneered Snape. Just then, Draco walked in. he was muttering under his breath. He looked up to growl at his three best friends when he saw his head of House.

"Hello professor," smirked Draco, "What are you doing in our dorm…" he pretended to look around, and even managed to act surprised when he saw every one, his face sliding easily into his usual expression.

"You don't know where we are Draco?" asked Snape suspiciously.

"no Professor. I was in my dorms," replied Draco smoothly. I have no idea how I got here,"

There was a moment of tenseness before Leo broke the silence by giggling. Every one turned to stare at her. She saw their glances and started to giggle harder.

"Ignore her,"said Ginny tiredly, "She always does this under strain,"

"Somehow, I can't picture her giggling in Voldemorts face," said Sirius.

"No that's her battle mode where she goes all serious,"

"She can't go Serious.." started Remus

"I'm Sirius!" grinned Sirius, causing Leo to laugh even harder. Hermione, finally taking pity on her, handed her a glass of what appeared to be murky water. Leo turned around and managed to pull herself together long enough to gulp her drink. She turned around a bit later looking a bit better.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "I have really bad nerves," she glanced at snape and her lips twitched. Every one turned to look at her a bit more.

"What was that Granger gave you" asked Blaise.

"Fire whiskey,"said Ginny.

"Fire Whiskey?"screamed Sirius, "She's only 15!"

"Oh come on!" said Leo, pouting a bit.

"Your far too young to be drinking alcohol!" continued Sirius, "When did this start?"

"At the court case thingy. I got into the court rooms and started to giggle. Luckily, Percy handed me a glass of diluted Firewhiskey. I was able to actually make it through the whole thing without giggling," said Leo.

"The only nice thing Percy has done this year," said Fred and George.

"Isn't that the truth," muttered Ron, remembering the letter Percy had sent earlier in the year. There was another awkward silence where every one looked around uneasily. Finally, Leo and Draco snapped.

"This is it!" snapped Draco, "I can't take any more!"

"I agree!" snapped Leo. Every one turned to look at them, and Leo continued, "Someone tell him!" she motioned to Snape, and stormed out of the room. Draco, catching onto what she meant hurried after her. Blaise and Ginny looked at each other then followed. They entered the kitchen to Find Mrs. Weasley bustling around. They sat at the table in silence. They then heard a yelp from the other room, and Draco and Blaise flinched.

"Soo…how do you think he's taking it?" asked Leo.

"This is your fault Potter!" hissed Draco, "How do you think my Godfathers taking it that you are my best friend?"

Just then, Snape stalked into the kitchen. He saw them sitting together and went a dark red. Leo saw Draco and Blaise flinch and felt a surge of pity for them.

"Hello Professor," she said brightly, "How are you this fine day?"

"Draco, Blaise. Follow me," said Snape shortly. The two boys got up and meekly followed their Head. Ginny and Leo looked at eachother.

"Well, I guess we should go back in," said Ginny.

"I guess," said Leo. They got up and walked into the dining room. They found everyone looking a little pale.

"You know, I hav e never seen Snape lose it like that," said Sirius after a moment.

"I agree. He was bright red," said Leo, "But it's not surprising. Snape hates me,"

"I hope he doesn't hurt Blaise and Draco," said Ginny worriedly.

"Yeah, me too," said Leo. The door opened to admit a disgruntled Percy Weasley. As soon as he entered, thje temperature in the room dropped.

"What is going on…"started Percy. He trailed off as he caught sight of his brothers and the rest of the order, "I should have known that you would be involved in this Potter. What is this, some kind of freak kidnapping?"

Only Sirius saw Leo flinch, once when Percy said her name, and again when he said freak. Sirius wondered what it was that disturbed Leo.

"well Perce, even though we all hate you," started Fred coldly.

"We wouldn't bother to kidnap you," continued George.

"We don't know why we are here,"

"so why don't you go sit in a corner and shutup," butted in Ron.

"Maybe if we give you alone time, you might learn to be nice," continued Hermione. Sirius was interested to see them both come to stand by Leo.

"what happened Percy. You actually used to like and trust me," she said quietly.

"I don't talk to traitors," he stalked off into another door that popped up into the wall. The rest of his siblings turned to glare at his retreating back; they had all heard about the letter he had written to Ron.

"I wonder if it is possible to choke on your own ego," wondered Leo. Immediately, several people broke into sniggers.

It was to this scene that Draco and Blaise walked in. ginny and Leo immediately noticed their friends, and stopped laughing as they saw the expressions on Draco and Blaise's faces.

"Hey, what's up?" asked Leo.

"Snapes gone to lie down," said Draco quietly.

"After he spent ages yelling at us," said Blaise in an attempt to lighten the mood. It didn't work as both Ginny and Leo frowned.

"What did he yell at you about?" asked Ginny.

"The usual," said Draco shortly, and both Leo and Ginny nodded in understanding.

"So, did you manage to convince him that our friendship is a good thing?" asked Leo.

"No," said Blaise miserably.

"Great," said Leo sarcastically, "Now Snapes gonna be even worse," she moaned.

"I know," said Ginny. They all looked at each other miserably, before Leo started to giggle.

"We're all really miserable," she giggled. Before long, the other three started to join in.

"Is it just me or do they sound really nervous," asked George.

"You mean like they're hysterical," asked Hermione.

"Yeah," said Fred. they all looked at the four hysterical teenagers in the middle of the room.

"Why _are_ they hysterical?" asked Ron.

"I don't know," said Hermione.

"Probably because they have a good reason to be afraid of Snape," said Luna, and Sirius's blood started to boil at the thought that Snape had done anything to hurt Leo.

"Hey, do you remember that whole thing that was going around the school where ginny was apparently seen with a Slytherin," asked Neville.

"Yeah, but that was a rumour," said Ron dismissively.

"What is it wasn't?" asked Hermione, "what if she was seen with Zabini?"

"but…" protested Ron.

"They're good friends, Ron, so it makes sense that they were accidentely seen together," said Neville.

"but why not Malfoy," argued Bill.

"Because every one would remember if it was Malfoy. Every one knows about how Malfoy's and Weasleys hate each other. Every one just said a _Slytherin_, so it makes sense that it was Zabini," said Hermione. They all turned to the four teenagers who were looking at them thoughtfully.

"Well done Granger,"said Blaise quietly, "You got it right,"

"Of course she did," said Ginny defensively.

"Why were you with Zabini alone!" demanded Ron, a very violent shade of red.

"we were talking," said Ginny dismissively.

"About what?" asked Fred and George.

"Something you don't need to know about," said Leo quickly. They all turned to look at her and she blushed, "I'm serious, you don't need to know,"

"Okay people, lets get a move on," said Tonks.

"Do we have 26 peple as yet?" asked Hermione.

"Let me see," murmered Leo, staring into space, "No, we only have 24 people,"

"Aww," whined Ron.

"We only have 2 people to go ron," consoled Hermione.

"I guess," said Ron. Just then, there was a bang from the other room, and, Mad-Eye Moody burst from the door to the coming room. He pointed his wand at each of them.

"Hey Mad-eye, calm down, we haven't kidnapped you," said Tonks soothingly, "Otherwise we would have taken your wand. Some of us are good aurors,"

Mad-eye grunted and lowered hi wand, "I suppose your telling the truth. I can't see any disguises on you," he looked at Sirius and said, "I got the results of that test you took. 99.9%,"

"Haha! Take that Tonks! I beat you!" said Sirius smugly.

"as well as making a new record for auror results," said Remus.

"Really?" asked Leo.

"Yeah, the highest was 99.8%, which Sirius and james set in their first sitting,"

"but wouldn't he have an advantage of experience and previous testing," asked Tonks.

"No. they change the tests every year, and it's been 14 years since I last fought, so it doesn't really count," said Sirius.

"What are they talking about?" asked Hermione.

"Sirius sat for an Auror theory a few months ago. He wanted to see how he would do," said Leo.

"And he beat the record?" asked Hermione incredulously.

"Which I set down the first time I sat the test," reminded Sirius.

"I thought you hated studying," said Remus.

"I do," said Sirius suspiciously.

"So how did you do so well?"

"Natural intelligence," said Sirius as if Remus was being stupid.

"You walked right into that Remus," laughed Tonks.

"Yeah yeah, whatever," muttered a sullen Remus.

"Who would have guessed that Sirius is smarter than Remus?" asked Tonks.

"No one!" said Leonora in mock seriousness. Both of the marauders glared at the innocent looking 15 year old before stalking off with an air of wounded pride.

"Hello," said Kingsley shaklebolt.

"King!" said Tonks in surprise.

"Surprise," said Kingsley in his slow and serious voice adding a surprising twist to his word.

"Did you hear about Sirius's results?" asked Tonks jealously.

"Yes. I was the first to find out," said Kingsley sounding unconcerned.

"It isn't fair. He doesn't study or touch any books, and yet after 12 years in prison he can still ace the test with the best results ever," ranted Tonks.

"Oh come on tonks, don't worry. It's not something he can help. It's as much of a burden for him as it is for you," said Leonora soothingly.

"How do you know?" asked Tonks.

"she's the same," said Hermione.

"It's not fair is it?" said Fred sympathetically

"Every one else gets the extra brains," continued George dramatically

"While we are just left with ordinary super intelligence," finished Fred, with a smirk.

"Oh shut up you two," said Hermione, sounding very annoyed.

"Hey Leo, do we have 26 people?" asked Ron.

"Hands up who's surprised that Ron asked that question," said Ginny. Several hands shot up.

"Let me see…" muttered Leo, counting in her head, "Why yes, I do believe we do,"

"Yes! Finally we can eat!" exclaimed Draco. His cry drew in every one from the other rooms, and a glaring contest started.

"Okay every one. Although we all hate eachother, we are kinda stuck here, so why don't we make the most of it?" questioned Leo somewhat nervously. Just then, a hugeball of light appeared in the middle of the room.

"Oh no!" groaned Hermione.

"Not again!" moaned Ginny as well, before the ball of light exploded, and they all saw blackness.

**Thank you for reading! Please R&R**

**Arana'a**


	3. The Girl Who lived

**Hello Readers!**

**This is the first chapter of Philosophers Stone**

Chapter 1

The Girl who lived

They all woke up to find them selves in the room in which they had arrived.

"What! After all of that we still end up in here!" yelled Ron in annoyance.

"I know, why couldn't we have ended up somewhere cool, like Greece?" whined Ginny.

"Because we're never that lucky," suggested Leo and Hermione at the same time.

"I know," sighed Ron.

"So, does any one know why we are in here again?" asked Draco. Then, there was a blinding flash of light, and a letter appeared in the table, atop a pile of unmarked books. The letter was addressed to Leonora Potter.

"Well, why don't you read the letter," suggested Sirius. Leo reached for the letter and broke the seal. The letter popped out of her hands and floated over the table, reading aloud in a clear voice.

_Dear Leo,_

_To start off, I would like to say that I'm sorry for pulling you all out of your lives and dragging you here. Despite your protests, this is a vital event. In these books is the entire school life of Leonora Potter. These books will cover everything that has and will happen, ignoring this particular event. Because the author is a muggle, there will be parts that are missing from the books. I have sent these books to you in the hope that you can perhaps make a happier future."_

_Don't worry, voldemort is defeated, but the cost of which is very high. _

_To Leonora, some of the things in these books may be things you have not told any one or things that you don't want people to know. You must understand that these things have to be told. I have given you a room to the side of the reading room if you wish for some privacy. _

_Finally, to all of you, this place is like the room of requirement. It will provide you with what you need. However, it will not allow you to leave until you have read all of the books. Also, this room is time sealed, meaning that when you do leave, you will find your selves back at the precise moment that you left. As a side note, a few other people will be arriving in the House in the future. They may be people who are dead, or people who don't exist as yet. Please d not judge anyone._

_With thanks, _

_Teddy_

_P.S. good luck Leo!_

_P.P.S. the people that should be in this room are_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

_Lucius Malfoy_

_Draco Malfoy_

_Sirius Black_

_Andromeda Tonks_

_Nymphadora Tonks_

_Remus Lupin_

_Severus Snape_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Mad-eye Moody_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Percy Weasley_

_Fred and George Weasley_

_Ginny Weasley_

_Mr. Weasley_

_Mrs. Weasley_

_Ron Weasley_

_Hermione Granger_

_Leonora Potter_

_Blaise Zabini_

_Angelina Johnson_

_Katie Bell_

_Alicia Spinnet_

_Neville Longbottom_

_Luna Lovegood_

The letter stopped talking, and seemed to give a sort of bow. It then burst into flames. They all looked around the room, and every one was surprised to see a very white Leo.

"Leo, you alright?" asked Hermione

"I'm fine. I…" Leo's voiced died out slowly.

"It's alright. I guess it's hard having everyone know you secrets," said Sirius sympathetically.

"What do you mean?" asked Tonks sharply.

"The books are set up like fiction books, so generally the characters have no privacy," said Hermione.

"That and the letter stated that they cover everything," said Sirius, emphasizing the last word to add meaning to what he was saying.

"Why don't we just get this over and done with," suggested Draco.

"Good idea," said Leo hurriedly, "So who wants to read first?"

There was instantly an argument over it, but in the end, Sirius won by grabbing the book before any one else.

"There are always advantages to being a seeker and chaser," he said smugly.

"What?" asked Ron, confused, "you can only play in one role.

"We had a back up chaser who would play if I had to play seeker, which would only happen if James was unable to play," said Sirius.

"Good strategy," said Angelina approvingly.

"That, and the fact that he and James used to switch roles in some games. It used to infuriate the other teams," said Remus.

"But we were never allowed to change in the middle of a game," whined Sirius.

"That is because it's against the rules," said Hermione firmly. Every one stared at her in shock. She had always been disinterested by the sport.

"What?" she exclaimed, going pink, "I do pick up a thing or two sooner or later,"

"Why are we discussing quidditch?" asked Leo.

"Cause Sirius is a very egotistical man," said Andromeda with a strait face. This caused Sirius to poke his tongue out at her and pout.

"I think 'boy' would be more accurate," remarked Leo, giggling slightly.

"Leonora Potter and the Philosophers Stone," said Sirius suddenly.

"What?" asked Leo.

"That is the title of the book," explained Sirius.

"Two galleons it's about our first year!" exclaimed Neville.

"I agree," said Leo, looking at the book. Every one turned to Sirius, and waited expectantly.

Sirius opened the book and started to read, **"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."**

"Yeah, they were so normal that they had a heart attack at the prospect of something that wasn't normal," said Leo snidely.

"Don't do that Leo, you sound like Snape," said Sirius, before he started to read again, **" They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors."**

"Well, they sound like really nice people!" said Ron sarcastically.

"Yeah, they were. Their appearance matches their personalities. I always say that your looks come from what you are inside," said Leo, to every ones sniggers.

" **The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere."**

"Yeah right!" said Fred with a snort.

"There are hundreds of finer specimens of boys in London alone!" continued George.

"**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters,"**

What is the matter with them? Said Remus angrily.

"There is nothing wrong with James and Lily!' cried Sirius.

"There were plenty of things wrong with Potter, but I agree with you about Lily," said Snape.

"Wow, you actually agreed on something!" said Leo

"How can you be so unperturbed with this?" asked Sirius.

"I have had 14 years to get used to it, so I'm alright. I just ignore them," said Leo, "they don't talk about mum and dad anyway,"

"We can discuss the Dursleys stupidity later. For now, keep reading Sirius," commanded Ginny.

"**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be,"**

"Is that even a word?" asked Ron.

"No. it's just proof of the Dursleys stupidity," said Leo, causing every one to laugh.

"**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small daughter, too, but they had never even seen her. This girl was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that"**

"And why not?" asked Molly angrily, "Leonora is a better child, and would have done their son some good.

"I don't think it worked Mrs. Weasley," said Leo.

"Keep going!" said Hermione agitatedly.

"Alright," said Sirius angrily, glaring at the book he was holding, **"When Mr. and Mrs. Dursleys woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair"**

"Wow, he was a brat even at that age," remarked Leo.

"I'm not surprised," muttered Draco.

"**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window. At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," "**

"Little?" asked Ron incredulously.

"I know, right," giggled Leo, "I can't even imagine Dudley thin,"

"Moving on!" said Hermione irritatedly.

"Stop being so irritable 'Mione," said Leo.

"**-chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar - a cat reading a map."**

"Two galleons it's Minnie!" said Sirius.

"Do not bet on me, Black!" said McGonagall, "And don't call me Minnie!"

"Sorry," muttered Sirius, while everyone else sniggered.

"**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light."**

"Really? What strange excuses muggles come up with!" said Mr. Weasley.

"Don't worry, these muggles don't bother with excuses," said Leo bitterly.

"What do you mean leo?" asked Ginny.

"You'll see," said Leo.

"Draco and blaise shared a worried glance as Sirius started to read again.

"**Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

"He really has a one track mind, doesn't he?" said Sirius.

"I think that might be a byproduct of stupidity," said Remus, smiling slightly.

"Funny, I think that Bulstrode suffers from the same disorder," remarked Blaise seriously.

"Lavenders the same," said Leo and Ginny in unison.

"I wonder what would happen if we put the two of them in the same room," wondered Hermione.

"**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people!"**

"I don't really agree!" protested Sirius, "The outfits girls wear nowadays are a lot better than they were when I was a kid," he dodged a hit from Andromeda, and fell right into the blow coming from Narcissa. He clutched his head and pouted.

"Keep reading Sirus," said Leonora, rolling her eyes.

"But they're being mean to me!" protested Sirius.

"Keep reading," snapped Hermione.

"Some ones testy," muttered Sirius.

"**He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something... yes, that would be it.**

"Ah, Muggles," sighed Mr. Weasley, "They always find and excuse,"

"He knows about magic," said Leo.

"What?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"He knew. He just doesn't want to admit an abnormality," said Leo bitterly, and several people gave her a worried look as they considered the implications of what she had said.

"**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills. Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead"**

"Honestly," said Mrs. Weasley, "Most witches and wizards don't even think about what the muggles will think. They just sent the owls,"

"Well, it was a day for the muggles too," said Leo.

"**Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime,"**

"You know, I always wondered what he did at work" remarked Leo to Hermione

"Why?" asked Tonks, not hearing Leo.

"Let me finish, and you'll know," said Sirius irritatedly.

"You know, this is the first time that I have ever seen padfoot actually want to read a book," said Remus.

"I know. It's surprising to see Ron even express interest," teased Leo.

"Oi!" protested Ron. Leo laughed, and motioned for Sirius to continue.

"**When he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery. He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy."**

"I wonder why," mocked Draco.

"Be nice Coco," admonished Leo. Draco glared at her, and she responded by smiling innocently at him.

**This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying. "The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their daughter, Leonora"**

**Mr. Dursleys stopped dead,"**

"I wish," muttered Leo, and Hermione and Ron turned to look worriedly at her.

"Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid."**

"That is a good description of his overall mentality," said Leo.

"I'll agree," said Fred and George in unison.

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a daughter called Leonora. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his niece was called Leonora. He'd never even seen the girl. It might have been Leona. Or Leslie.**

"What awful names. Thank merlin your not called Leslie," said Ginny.

"Leonora is a nice name," smiled Sirius, thinking how it seemed to match her perfectly.

"It took James and Sirius ages to think of it," said Remus.

"Didn't mum have a part of it?" asked Leo.

"No. they had the name a few months before you were born. Lily never got a say," said Remus.

"We asked her after the Leo was born," protested Sirius.

"You were lucky lily agreed with you,"

"Hey," said Leo, "what would you have called me if I was a boy?"

"Harrison James," replied Sirius.

"That's not too bad," conceded Leo.

"Not too bad?" said Sirius, outraged, "It took James and me ages to think of it,"

"Nice to know that you were both so thoughtful," smiled Leo, "Why don't you continue reading,"

"**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that..."**

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Snape dangerously.

"Nothing," squeaked Leo, looking terrified of the sudden looks on Remus, Sirius and Snapes faces.

"**But all the same, those people in cloaks... He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door. "Sorry," he grunted"**

"He actually said sorry!" said Leo, amazed.

"And here I was thinking it wasn't in is vocabulary," said Draco. Unlike the rest of her friends, Draco actually knew what it was that happened when Leonora was with the Dursleys. It had taken a lot of convincing on Leo's part for him to not go and murder the Dursleys.

"**As the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

"Honestly," sniffed McGonagall, "Wizards should have more care. If they went around like that, then muggles would find us within the month,"

"Well, it was a happy day for most Minerva. Voldemort had just been vanquished. They are allowed to make one or two mistakes," said Remus.

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle-"**

"His arms fit?" asked Leo with an incredulous expression.

"I don't think that they meant right around him," suggested Draco.

"Still," muttered Leo.

"**And walked off. Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination."**

"Really?" asked Leo sarcastically, "I never would have guessed,"

"What does that mean?" asked Sirius.

"If the book goes the way I think it ill, you'll find out," supplied Leo.

"Be patient," murmured Luna.

"**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes."**

"Three galleons!" cried Sirius.

"No one is going to take that bet," said Remus.

"Aww!" whined Sirius.

""Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered.

"No!" cried Fred.

"It's just McGonagall's behavior!" completed George.

"**Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").**

"Nice choice of words" sniggered Leonora.

"What do you mean?" asked Remus.

"He spent his whole life saying that," explained Leo.

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin.**

"Hey Tonks, didn't your dad work as a news reporter for a bit?" asked Charlie.

"Yup," supplied Tonks, "And that might just be him,"

"It was dear," said Andromeda.

**"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?" **

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars!**

"Honestly," sniffed McGonagall.

"It was probably old Dedalus," said Sirius, grinning.

**Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...**

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?" As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister**

"Don't worry, Lily did the same," muttered Sirius.

"And, she continued that for, like, forever," said Leo.

"What do you mean?" asked Remus sharply.

"I didn't find out what my parents names were until I was 11," muttered Leo. She received several incredulous looks, and Sirius started to mutter darkly under his breath.

"What!" exclaimed Remus.

"That isn't surprising. She always was a bitter bitch," snapped Snape. Luckily for him, every one was too angry to think about what she had said. Every one that is, except for Leo. She gave him a surprised look.

**. "No," she said sharply. "Why?" "Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you know... her crowd."**

"Her crowd?" asked McGonagall.

"Don't worry about it. She gets more offensive later on," said Leo, motioning for Sirius to continue reading.

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their daughter - she'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't she?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's her name again? Leslie, isn't it?"**

**"Leonora. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"Yeah, cause Leonora is such a common name," snarled Sirius.

"Siri, your talking to a book," said Leo.

"he's not in his right mind right now," said remus,  
If he starts to mutter just ignore it,"

"Until he starts in latin," added Andromeda.

"Okay," said Leo slowly, absorbing all they had told her.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite**

**Agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed.**

**While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something. Was he imagining things?**

"And here was I thinking he had no imagination," said leo snidely.

"Moving on," said Draco.

**Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

"oh you will," snickered Leo evilly, and the many of the people in the room were surprised when Draco joined in with her.

**The Dursleys got into bed**

"OH! The mental images! They burn!" screamed Draco, and Blaise turned to look at him

"get your mind out of the gutter Drake," he reprimanded.

"I agree with Draco," said Ginny, looking slightly green.

"Why don't we continue, and not dwell on this any longer," suggested Leo, and a very green Sirius started to read again.

**Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly**

Sirius was interrupted by a sudden gagging sound coming from Draco and Leo.

**but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them...**

"Yeah, that's what you think," snarled Leo.

How very wrong he was.

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive.**

"It's Minerva I tell you! No one else has that kind of discipline!"

"Shut up Sirius, and continue reading!" snapped Hermione.

"If your going to be mean, then I won't read," pouted Sirius.

"Please Sirius," begged Leo, her eyes going wide, and her bottom lip poking out slightly. Sirius instantly went a light shade of pink, and mumbled something under his breath.

**It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all. A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots.**

"Is it just me, or does Dumbledore sound gay?" asked Katie.

"I know right?" continued Angelina, and there were several people nodding in agreement.

"I wonder if he is," murmured Leo.

"Ah, moving on," said Remus.

**His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore**.

"Dun dun dunnnn!" said Neville dramatically, and nearly every one collapsed into laughter, while Blaise simply chuckled in amusement.

"Can't you lot grow up?" asked Mad-eye grumpily.

"No!" screamed Leo.

"Yes!" yelled Hermione and everyone collapsed into laughter again. Mad-eye shot a silencing spell at them, but he still had to wait until Sirius had stopped laughing.

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome**.

"Oh, I think he did," said Leo. And Draco started to snigger under his breath.

"Stop it Draco. If I start to laugh again, then I won't be able to stop," said Leo. Sirius hurried to read, because if she laughed, then so would he.

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

"Should have known what!" screamed Sirius.

"Keep reading Black," said McGonagall tiredly.

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and**

**Clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer,**

"Interesting name," grunted Mad-eye, "It's real name is the Deluminator,"

"Really?" asked Leo intrigued.

"Yep," said Mad-eye.

**Until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

"Isn't that odd? You know, just sitting next to a cat?" remarked Alicia.

"Not really. We do it all the time with Crookshanks," smiled Hermione.

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall." He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

"What, you mean ignoring the fact that you change all the time in class?" asked Ron.

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating?**

"What? I agree with him!'' said Charlie, "You could have gone to heaps of parties, yet you insist on sitting on a brick wall,"

"Why would you do that?" asked Tonks.

"Why don't you wait and find out," said McGonagall

**I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense." **

"I'll agree with you there," said Sirius, and several people nodded in agreement.

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"You know, what with the war and all," said Remus.

"Just continue reading Black," said McGonagall tiredly.

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?" **

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

"A what?" asked Mr. Weasley.

**"A what?" **

"Ha-ha!" snickered Draco under his breath.

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

There were several flinches from around the room, and Leonora was disappointed to see that many of the people who did flinch were order members.

"Come on people! It's just a name!" she protested.

"Yeah, it's not like saying his name is gonna get us surrounded by death eaters!" snapped Ron.

"Some one write that down!" yelled Leo.

"Why?" asked Remus.

"Cause Ron has slight seer ability," said Hermione.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ron, "I fail at divination!"

"Yeah, cause you focus on it too much. Not only that, but that woman is a fraud," said Luna vehemently.

"She has given predictions Luna," Neville pointed out

"She's an oracle not a true seer," snapped Luna, "Her predictions have a chance of going several ways, rather than one way, which the predictions of a seer does,"

"Okay," said Ron slowly.

"So, is any one writing Ron's prediction down?" asked Leo.

"Yes," said Hermione, scribbling madly.

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.**

"See, even Dumbledore agrees," said Leo.

"Yeah, but Dumbledore is the only one You-know-who was afraid of," said Neville.

**"I know you haven't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

"Only because you're too noble to use them," said Ron.

**"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."**

Everyone turned to look at Ron.

"What?" asked Ron.

"Nothing," sighed Hermione.

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"Whoa! Way too much info there!" said Draco.

"I agree. This book is really suggestive. Thought it was supposed to be in my point of view," said Leo.

"I hope the rest of the books aren't like this, "said Blaise, & Ginny nodded in agreement.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

A t this several people bowed their heads.

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

"He always does that," complained Leo.

"It's really annoying" agreed Fred George.

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. " **

At this several everyone, went still, remembering the horror that had happened on that day. Although many more atrocious things had happened, what had come from that was both wonderful and terrifying.

"Keep Reading," said Leo hoarsely.

Sirius nodded, and he reopened the book.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. "Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it... Oh, Albus..."**

"You always were close to James and Lily," said Remus quietly.

"Were you?" asked Leo.

"Yes. They had me baby sit for you sometimes. That wasn't often though," said McGonagall, smiling slightly.

"Why?" asked Ron.

"Because she was a nightmare to babysit," said Sirius.

"What do you mean?" asked Leo.

"You always had a caser of accidental magic. I remember one time when you turned Sirius into a teddy bear. It had every one worried, until lily found that the new bear that Sirius had supposedly bought for you before ha had left had a pulse. As son as he was turned back, he passed out, and refused to babysit you for a month," said Remus. There was laughter ringing from around the room, and Sirius was alternating between glaring at Remus, and half glaring, half admiring his laughing goddaughter.

'_No stop it Sirius! You shouldn't be thinking about Leo like this!' _thought Sirius. He started to read loudly, half to shut everyone up, and half to get his mind off Leo.

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's daughter, Leonora. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little girl. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Leo Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone. **

Here Sirius's voice broke slightly and he stopped reading.

"Nice to hear it put so succinctly," said Leo, trying to be cheerful, and several people snorted.

"She always had a way with words," smiled Remus, causing Tonks to glance jealously at McGonagall.

"We noticed," giggled Hermione.

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little girl? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Leonora survive?"**

"Yeah, how did I survive?" asked Leo curiously.

"No one knows," said several people.

"I have a sort of guess," admitted Leo, "But I still don't know why I have mental connection with him,"

"You have a mental connection with Voldemort?" asked Sirius sharply.

"Yeah. It hurts a bit though," she said quietly.

"Not to mention it looks like she's having a seizure," said Ron.

"What are you talking about Ron?" asked Neville, "She has never looked like she's suddenly had a seizure,"

"Did I say that?" asked Ron confusedly.

"Yes," said Luna, "Perhaps you were prophesying again,"

Hermione started to scribble madly, pausing to give Leo a worried glance. Leo rolled her eyes, and noticed that every one was looking at her with worry.

"What is the matter?" she snapped at them.

"Seizures?" whispered Sirius.

"I haven't had one as yet," she tried to calm him.

"Why don't you try to read again?" suggested Hermione kindly, "It might help get your mid off things,"

Sirius nodded, and started to read.

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?" **

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Leo to her aunt and uncle. They're the only family she has left now."**

"Are you sure?" whined Leo suddenly.

"Yes. We checked. The only other person was Sirius, but he was is Azkaban," said McGonagall.

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.**

"I agree with her!" snapped Draco.

**"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Leonora Potter come and live here!"**

"It couldn't have been the only possibility!" protested Ginny.

"Yeah, they're horrible!" said Fred, nodding.

"At least I didn't end up like Dudley," Leo tried Humor, and to her luck, it worked.

**"It's the best place for her," said Dumbledore firmly. "Her aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to her when she's older. I've written them a letter."**

"A letter!" asked Luna incredulously.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand her! She'll be famous – a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Leonora Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Leo - every child in our world will know her name!"**

"It's true," said Draco.

"A lot of them even tried to send you letters," said Kinglsley.

"You're kidding," said Leo.

"No," said Arthur, "we have a huge pile of letters sitting on some desk in the ministry. Dumbledore convinced the ministry that sending you letters might not be the best of ideas until after you came to Hogwarts,"

"So why didn't I get them in my first year?" asked Leo.

"Because we forgot about them," said Arthur.

"Oh," smiled Leo/

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any girl's head. Famous before she can walk and talk! Famous for something she won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off she'll be, growing up away from all that until she's ready to take it?"**

"What is he talking about? Leo be bigheaded?" asked Neville incredulously

"There was a possibility you know," said Sirius.

"Looking at her father and Godfather" smiled Remus.

"Oi! What is that supposed to mean?" asked Sirius.

"Nothing," teased Remus, and completely missing Tonks's admiring look. Both Leo & Sirius rolled their eyes at Remus's obliviousness.

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the girl getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Leonora underneath it. **

"What is that supposed to mean? asked Neville.

"Might I point out that this is just a book," said Leo.

**"Hagrid's bringing her." **

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life!" yelled several people.

**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore. "I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**

"What was what?" screamed Sirius.

"Just keep reading Black," sighed McGonagall.

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"I miss my bike," sighed Sirius.

"It was your bike?" asked Leo.

"Yep," said Sirius happily,

"You know, I have that bike in my garage" said Mr Weasley. He was suddenly overwhelmed by hugs from Sirius and Leo as Remus groaned in the back ground.

"I love you Arthur!" yelled Sirius, "Can I have it back?"

"I suppose," smiled Arthur.

"Can I have a go on it?" asked Leo hopefully.

"She is underage! "snapped Molly when Sirius nodded his agreement.

"Sirius was, flying it at the age of 14! Said Remus and Sirius nodded his head vigorously.

"When I ran away from home I used the bike to get to James's place" supplied Sirius.

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" asked Molly.

"Uhh… I survived" said Sirius.

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins.**

"You make him sound like a giant," said Neville reproachfully.

"Well it's not me, because I'm not the one narrating this," said Leo.

**In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"And in Enters Leo," said Draco.

"Shut up Dray," snapped Leo.

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

"from me!" said Sirius.

"you are talking to a book Sirius," said Remus.

"I know that." Said Sirius, although he did go alittle red.

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sit," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got her, sir."**

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got her out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. She fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

"Awww" said Hermione, Ginny, Tonks and Luna, causing Leo to go a brilliant shade of Weasley red.

"You know Leo, you are the same colour as Rons hair." Said Sirius, smirking at her.

"shut up Sirius!" snapped Leo, going an even darker shade of red.

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over her forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning. **

"Her trade mark scar!" said Ron, causing Leo to reach around Hermione to hit him on the arm.

"Hey! What was that for?" whined Ron.

"No reason" sang Leo.

**"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "She'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. **

"Not something we needed to know," said Leo.

"Hey, does anyone else have any weird scars?" asked Hermione.

"Trust me 'Mione, you don't want to go into scars. They aren't any good for you." growled Ron. Hermione glanced at him warily, before writing on the price of parchment she had.

"You know, he's on a role to day," said Luna smiling.

**Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Leonora in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I - could I say good-bye to her, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Leonora and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

"Oi!" said Sirius indignantly.

"Never mind Sirius," said Leo.

"But that is an insult!" complained Sirius.

"Why" asked Alicia.

"You'll find out in our third year," said Hermione.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Leonora off ter live with Muggles -"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Leonora gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Leonora's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

"He left you on the doorstep?" hissed Molly.

"Uhh… l guess," said Leo nervously causing Molly to matter darkly under her breath, joined by Sirius, Remus and surprisingly Sirius's two cousins.

With a great deal of effort Sirius pulled himself together and started to read again.

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

"You know, I always found that a little weird," said Leo, and Fred and George nodded in agreement,

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." \"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. **

**"Good luck, Leonora," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

"And that's it?" asked Leo incredulously.

"He didn't even wait to see if the Dursleys took you in?" said Neville in the same tone of voice.

"that is awful!" exclaimed Hermione, and several people nodded in agreement. Sirius started to mutter again, glaring at the book in his hands.

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Leonora Potter rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside her and she slept on,**

"Awww…" said several people, and Leo blushed again.

**not knowing she was special, not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by her cousin Dudley... She couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Leonora Potter - the girl who lived!"**

"Well that's the end of the first chapter," said Sirius, throwing the book onto the table and glaring at it.

"Well, who wants to read next?" asked Leo. Several people put their hands up.

"Why don't we just go in order around the circle?" suggested Mad-eye.

"why not?" said Leo, smiling slightly, "That way, we all get to read,"

Sirius passed the book to Narcissa, and she opened it at the second page. Before she could read, however, another letter fell onto the table. Leo reached for it, and opened the seal

**Hello all my readers and reviewers. Sorry about taking so long on the chapter, but getting through it was a bit difficult. Judging from the length of time which it took to finish this chapter, I'd say that you might just expect me to have the next chapter up in about a month. Other than that, please R&R!**

**By the way, could you please send in a few suggestions of who I could introduce. I have a vague idea, but a hint or two from you might just help. Please remember that time is not a constraint, and even if the character died, it doesn't matter.**

**Thanks, **

**Arana'a**


	4. the vanishing glass

**Hey people! This is the next chapter. Please tell me what you think!**

"Hello everyone," Said the letter in a cheerful voice, "you are now as out to be joined by someone you have all presumed to be dead. He actually is supposed to be, but l have brought him back an hour before his death. This is so he may have time tone think about things, and, if he lives, he will have a large impact on future and past events.

You have not seen him for a long time, and I ask that you break the news of what has happened since his death gently. I advise you tell him everything, as it will help to simplify things. I also advise that you don't ask why he died or anything. It will all be explained in the books

With thanks,

Teddy,"

Everyone looked at each other and Hermione opened her mouth, probably to ask a question he before she could say a word, a figure fell onto a pile of pillows that had appeared on the table. The figure sat up I and several people gasped.

"Sirius?" asked Leo. The figure sat up, Leo had the impression of looking aha younger Sirius.

"Reggie?" whispered a hoarse Sirius. The figure on the table turned to look at Sirius, and for a moment, you could have sworn that there was a mirror in front of Sirius. Then Sirius moved, pulling the other man into a bone breaking hug.

"Siri," gasped the figure, "I need to breathe!"

"Oh, sorry," said Sirius, pulling away from his brother, "You're alive!"

Yes you idiot. Why else would I be breathing!" snapped Regulus sarcastically, although it was ruined by his gasps for breath every now and then.

"Regulus Arcturus Black!" snapped Narcissa Malfoy from the side. And everyone in the room turned to find that Narcissa and her sister standing side by side with a look that even Voldemort would quail from.

"Where have you been?"

You disappear for 15 years!"

"And die!"

"Without a note!"

"Without and explanation as to why you were so suicidal!"

The sisters continued on for a while, matching each other perfectly, and reprimanding their cousin. It wasn't long before both Sirius and Regulus were cowering under their cousins, and both Draco and Tonks looked as if they wanted nothing more than to run from the room.

Everyone else simply watched in a mixture of amusement and confusion. Finally, the two sisters seemed to have run out of expletives for their younger cousin.

"Uhh, 'scuse me for interrupting, but who is he?" said Leo somewhat timidly.

"Uhh, sure. Leo, this is my baby brother regulus. Reggie, this is my goddaughter Leo," said Sirius, seizing on the opportunity to get away from the wrath of his cousins.

"Pleasure to meet you," said Regulus gratefully.

"You should really get into something dry and warm," said Hermione.

"Yeah, you look like you're about to get Pneumonia," said Ginny. When Regulus looked at them confusedly, Sirius hurried to introduce them.

"This is Leo's best friend Hermione, and her other best friend Ginny," said Sirius.

"Might I point out that I have 5 best friends," said Leo,

"And I spent the past four years believing she only had two," said Ron.

"Oh come one on," said Leo exasperatedly.

"What would you have done if Leo and I had walked up to you and said that we're best friends with Drake and Blaise?" asked Ginny.

"You mean other than faint after he realises that it's not a joke?" asked Hermione teasingly, which caused Ron to glare at her, and all of the other sniggering occupants of the room. He muttered something under his breath and went to sit down.

"That's Ron, Leo's best friend number 3. And over there are Draco and Blaise, numbers 4 and 5. You know Moony, and that's Little Nymphie-''

"Hey!"

"-who isn't so little any more. You know Arthur and Molly and Minnie-''

"Black!"

"And you definitely know Snape. That's mad-eye and Kingsley. And these lovely ladies are Angelina, Alicia and Katie, who are the chasers for Gryffindor. And this is Neville and Luna," said Sirius airily.

"That was a very nice introduction Sirius. Now why don't you let me take your brother into the kitchen so he can dry up," said Molly sternly. She led a somewhat shocked Regulus into the kitchen, and soon as they had left, everyone started to talk.

"Who is that?"

"Sirius has a brother?"

"What is going on here?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"I loved the looks on Sirius's face!"

"Okay! That's enough!" yelled Leo. When everyone had quieted down she nodded her head, "Thank you,"

"Okay. So why don't you explain what is going on Sirius," said Hermione

"That was my brother Regulus. He went missing 15 years ago, and everyone assumed he was dead," said Sirius.

"And now we know that he is dead," said Leo.

"Hopefully we can change that," said Andromeda firmly. That was when Regulus walked back in.

"So what is going on?" he asked.

"Well we were all called here to read about my goddaughter's life, and we're stuck here until we finish," said Sirius.

"Hey, did you get to see who sent us here?" asked Luna suddenly.

"Well the last thing I saw was a turquoise haired man waving his wand at me," said Regulus.

"Turquoise haired?" asked Nymphadora curiously.

"Well it did change to orange," said Regulus.

"So we know that the person is a very proficient metamorphmagus," said Tonks.

"How do we know that?" asked Neville.

"Well, there's no other way to change your appearance without a wand, other than being a metamorphmagus. And for him to change whilst performing magic implies that he is a very strong metamorphmagus," explained Tonks.

"That's interesting," said Luna.

"So, who wants to read first?" asked Leo.

"Ooh! Me! Me!" yelled Hermione ad Tonks.

"Why don't we just go in order?" asked Ron.

So which way do you wanna go?" asked Sirius.

"You choose," said Leo, and Sirius passed the book to Narcissa.

She opened the book and started to read

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all.**

"Boring people!" drawled Sirius.

"Rather like you then," remarked Regulus, snickering when Sirius turned to glare at him.

"You know, I like you," smiled Leo at Regulus.

**The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed.**

**Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets **

"Who would put bonnets on a beach ball?" asked Hermione.

"That was Dudley," said Leo.

"And he doesn't look any better," said Ron.

"In fact..." started Fred.

"He looks worse," finished George.

"I don't think that's possible," said Ginny.

"Trust me, it is," said Leo

**- but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond girl riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another child lived in the house, too.**

"What does that mean?" asked Sirius.

"They didn't like to take photos of me," said Leo. She got a grunt from Sirius.

**Yet Leonora Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. Her Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

**"Up! Get up! Now!"**

"Now that takes me back," sighed Regulus.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sirius incredulously, "She only woke me up like that,"

"Yeah, but it meant that you had to get up while I could sleep in. that was the best feeling ever," smirked Regulus. Sirius grumbled under his breath, and several people beamed at Regulus.

**Leo woke with a start. Her aunt rapped on the door again.**

**"Up!" she screeched. Leo heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove.**

"How close was your bedroom to the kitchen?" asked Neville.

"Down the hall," said Leo, attempting to be casual.

**She rolled onto her back and tried to remember the dream she had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. She had a funny feeling she'd had the same dream before.**

"That's because it wasn't a dream Leo dear," said George.

"It was a memory," finished Fred.

"How did you remember that?" asked Hermione.

"I have a really good memory," said Leo.

**Her aunt was back outside the door.**

**"Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

**"Nearly," said Leo.**

**"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, **

"They made you cook?" asked Neville incredulously.

"And clean," mumbled Leo, although no-one caught her. She looked up when she heard growling, and saw both Remus and Sirius looking incredibly angry.

**I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

"Duddy?" asked Ginny, shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Don't worry Ginny, it gets even better," said Leo, smirking evilly.

**Leo groaned.**

**"What did you say?" her aunt snapped through the door.**

"Nothing you hag!" snapped Hermione.

"Wow, you hate her already," said Ron.

"Yes," snapped Hermione

**"Nothing, nothing..."**

**Dudley's birthday - how could she have forgotten? Leo got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. She found a pair under her bed**

Here Snape sat up straighter. This would be where he heard proof of Potters spoilt lifestyle.

**And, after pulling a spider**

Ron shuddered, while several people frowned.

**Off one of them, put them on. Leo was used to spiders,**

"How can you be used to spiders?" asked Ron, while Leo went a very pale white. Snape noticed this, and wondered for a moment.

**Because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them,**

"What has that got to do with anything?" asked Alicia. Privately, Snape agreed.

**And that was where she slept.**

There was a moment of silence, and then the room burst into sound.

"They made you sleep in a cupboard!" screamed Sirius, as Leo hid her face in her hands.

"Leo, why didn't you tell me?" asked Draco, pulling her hands away from her face. She mumbled something under her breath, and Draco frowned.

"What was that?" asked Ginny.

"It's nothing! Just continue reading," said Leo, sounding a little hysterical.

"It is not nothing Leo," said Blaise.

"They made you sleep in a cupboard!" said Ron for emphasise, "You shouldn't have been able to fit!"

"Just continue reading!" said Leo.

"Not until you get a medical check-up," said Andromeda, standing up. She took Leo into the other room.

While they were gone, everyone started to talk. Meanwhile, Snape sat in a state of shock. He had always believed that potter had spent her whole life being pampered and spoilt

"What the hell was Dumbledore thinking, sending her there!" asked Molly.

"Didn't he know what they would do to her?" asked Remus, his eyes turning amber.

"He knew James and Lily didn't want her there!" said Sirius.

"He said that she would be safest there," said McGonagall tiredly.

"Yeah right,' interjected Ron.

"If she ever felt safe and happy there, I'll eat the sorting hat," said Ginny.

"She always hated going back there," said Percy quietly.

"I remember, every year she would ask if she had to go there," said Fred.

"And she never went there during the other holidays either," said George.

Andromeda walked in looking grave.

"I've put her to sleep for a while," she said.

"What did they do to her?" asked Luna quietly.

"She was suffering from malnutrition, and lack of sunlight, although that has receded due to her stay at Hogwarts. There were also signs of minor abuse, such as several bruises, a few broken bones that were never attended to, and one or two scars,"

Her announcement left every one silenced.

"Abuse!" the hiss broke the silence, and every one turned to Draco.

"How dare they!" snapped Blaise.

"Perhaps we should continue," said Narcissa quietly, although she was looking deathly pale. Lucius gently put an arm around her shoulders, and she opened the book again.

**When she was dressed she went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Leo, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise - unless of course it involved punching somebody.**

"That better have not been Leo," growled Sirius.

**Dudley's favourite punching bag was Leo,**

Once again, Narcissa was interrupted by growls.

**But he couldn't often catch her. Leo didn't look it, but she was very fast. Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Leo had always been small and skinny for her age.**

"Not really," said Regulus suddenly.

"Both potter and Evans were midgets up until fifth year,"

"That's true," said Sirius.

**She looked even smaller and skinnier than she really was because all she had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than she was.**

"That is despicable," said Katie

"I know," said Alicia.

"Does she have her own clothes now?" asked Regulus.

"Yes," said several people.

**Leo had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes.**

"Just like her dad, except female and with green eyes" smiled Sirius.

"You know, James used to wear glasses," said Remus.

"So did Leo," said Hermione

"Up to second year," said Ron.

**She wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose.**

"He hit a woman?" gasped Draco.

"How dare he!" growled Blaise at the same time.

**Despite how she thought however, there was something about her that drew the eyes of everyone in the area. **

"That is certainly true," said Sirius, thinking of theist lime he had seen her.

"I wish I knew how she does it," sighed Angelina, and Katie and Alicia nodded.

"It's a gift she has" smiled Ginny.

**The only thing Leo liked about her own appearance was a very thin scar on her forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning.**

"She liked it?" asked tired and George incredulously.

"That was before she knew what it meant," said Remus.

"And it was an incredibly unique scar," said Percy suddenly. Every one turned to stare at him, and he went a brilliant shade of red.

**She had had it as long as she could remember, and the first question she could ever remember asking her Aunt Petunia was how she had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when your parents died,"**

"Car crash!" yelled McGonagall.

"That is absolutely-" yelled Sirius, going a funny shade of red.

**She had said. "And don't ask questions."**

"Then how is she supposed to learn!" snapped Regulus, Hermione and Remus.

"No wonder she asks so many questions now," said Fred.

She's probably making up or 10 years' worth of questions," said George.

**Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet and painless life with the Dursleys.**

There were several growls at that, coming from all around the room.

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Leo was turning over the bacon.**

**"Comb your hair!"**

"Not going to work!" sang Sirius, "She's affected by the potter curse,"

"Yes Sirius, we know," sighed Remus.

"Especially when she complains about it at least once a week," Said Hermione, "But that's usually when she's trying to unknot it,"

"James never had that problem," said Sirius.

"Because he grew it short," said Remus.

**He barked, by way of a morning greeting. About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Leo needed a haircut. Leo must have had more haircuts than the rest of the girls in her class put together, but it made no difference, her hair simply grew that way - all over the place.**

"I told you! Potter Curse," sang Sirius.

"And no one argued," said Regulus, with a tone that one would adopt when talking to a particularly thick child.

"Don't take that tone with me Reggie," said Sirius, and his brother only smiled at him.

**Leo was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head.**

"Lovely," said Ron, picturing it in his head.

**Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel**

This caused several snorts

**- Leo often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

There was a moment of silence, before the room burst with laughter.

"She's got her mother's wit," said Sirius.

"You would know padfoot," said Remus.

"As I recall, you were always on the receiving end of it," said Regulus.

**Leo put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult**

**As there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents.**

**His face fell.**

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two**

**Less than last year."**

At this Narcissa's voice had grown cold.

"I don't even get that many presents!" said Draco outraged, "That brat is spoiled!"

"Oh the irony is killing me," said Hermione sarcastically.

"Shut up Granger," said Draco, going slightly pink.

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here**

**Under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

**"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face.**

**Leo, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down**

**Her bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

"Slow down Leo, you might choke," said Ginny.

"You guys know I'm not in the room," said Leo from the doorway.

"You are now," said Hermione.

"What are you doing up?" asked Andromeda, "Your supposed to be asleep,"

"I didn't want to sleep," said Leo shrugging, "So I woke up,"

"That is very powerful magic Ms Potter," said McGonagall

"I guess," said Leo, going back to her seat.

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right''**

"Good Lord, don't encourage him!" said Hermione exasperatedly

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said**

**Slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..."**

"How did he get through primary school?" asked Ginny. Leo went a sort of red colour.

"They made you do his work," yeah," mumbled Leo.

"Why did you do it," well it was either that or not go to school and have my chores doubled," she said so quietly that they almost didn't catch it.

"Why did you let them do that to you?" asked Hermione

"Well they always were bigger and stronger than me," said Leo.

"I didn't have a choice. Besides, they always said I owed them for taking me in,"

"You most certainly do not owe them!" said Tonks.

"I know that now," she said.

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right**

**Then."**

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little**

There were several snorts at this.

**Tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.**

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it While Leo and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a Video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and A VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.**

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs Figg's broken her leg. She can't take her." She jerked her head in Leo's direction.**

"Don't they overuse your name?" asked Alicia.

"Very rarely. Lt's never a good sign if they use my name," shrugged Leo. She seemed to be doing this a lot

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Leo's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Leo was left behind with Mrs Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Leo hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs Figg made her look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

"See Mooney all cat lovers are mad," said Sirius

"Sirius, might I point that that you are in a room full of cat lovers," said Remus Sirius looked around to find most of the people were glaring at him.

"I'll amend that to most cat lovers," said Sirius hurriedly.

"Insane Heretic," hissed Regulus.

"Excuse me, but that bloody demon you called a cat was intent on killing," snapped Sirius.

"Anna was an angel, and you were just…" started Regulus.

"That is enough!" said Andromeda.

"Who's Anna?" asked Leo.

"My cat," smiled Regulus wistfully

**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Leo as though she'd planned this.**

"Yeah, because a 10 year old could plan this just to make your life hard," said Neville sarcastically. Every one turned to stare at him

"Well done Nev," said Ron proudly, "I didn't know you had it in you,"

"Hanging around with you guys has its perks," he said.

**Leo knew she ought to feel sorry that Mrs Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when she reminded himself it would be a whole year before she had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr Paws, and Tufty again. **

"Leo, that's not very nice!" reprimanded Molly.

"I know, but it was really boring there," said Leo sheepishly

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

**"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the girl."**

"Hold it!" said Ron.

"Isn't that the aunt you blew up?" asked Blaise.

"Yep!" said Leo happily, going over the memory

"You blew up your aunt?" asked Sirius incredulously.

"Well, we're not actually related, but yeah, I blew her up like a balloon," said Leo nonchalantly.

"You are the best ever!" said Sirius, Fred and George at once.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Leo like this, as though she wasn't there - or rather, as though she was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

This caused several people to growl under their breaths, and Leo was surprised that the book hadn't caught fire from all of the glares directed its way.

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?"**

**"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**"You could just leave me here," Leo put in hopefully (she'd be able to watch what she wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

"You've just jinxed yourself," said Ron.

"I know," sighed Leo

"You really have horrible luck," smirked Draco.

"It's two sided," said Neville, "When she needs it, it'll work, and then it'll turn on her just as fast,"

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.**

"She always looks like that," said Leo. To her surprise, Snape nodded.

She decided to not call him out as yet.

**"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

**"I won't blow up the house," said Leo, but they weren't listening."**

"They never do," sighed Leo, Hermione and Ron together.

**"I suppose we could take her to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "...and leave her in the car..."**

**"That car's new, she's not sitting in it alone..."**

"Oh yeah, the car matters more than your niece," snarled Sirius sarcastically.

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying - it had been years since he'd really cried - but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

"Spoiled brat," muttered Leo bitterly.

"Don't worry Leo," smiled Sirius, "I'll spoil you rotten,"

"How?" asked Ginny.

"Well there's the general presents, and I can organise outings, so long as I don't go as a human" said Sirius thoughtfully.

"You know sis, I love you so much," smiled Leo, jumping over to give him a hug.

**"Dinky Duddydums,**

"Dinky…" laughed Fred.

"Duddydums," continued George, rolling on the floor in laughter, as the rest of the room laughed around them.

"I love that!" said Fred.

"Remind us to use that when we go visit your relatives," said George, wiping away tears of laughter.

"Why are you going to visit my relatives?" asked Leo.

"To make them pay for all of the horrendous things they did to you," said Blaise.

"I guess, but don't do anything that could land you in Azkaban," are you daft. I'm a slytherin. I know how to cover my tracks," replied Blaise.

"Pity Sirius didn't remember," said Andromeda.

"He was a Gryffindor," said Leo.

"Yeah, but he received the same training before he went to Hogwarts,"

"It was a long time ago," said Sirius, "Can we just continue.

**Don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special Day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

**"I... don't... want... her... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "She always sp- spoils everything!" He shot Leo a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.**

"That boy-" snarled Hermione, and Ron and Leo leaned away from her slightly as she started to mutter under her breath.

"Is that a normal occurrence?" asked Blaise and Draco.

"Yep," said Ginny.

"This is tiny compared to how she gets during exams," said Leo, wincing slightly, as Hermione used a particularly nasty adjective.

"Right said Draco.

"You know drake, you got off easy with Mione," said Ginny.

"Yeah," said Ron, "She didn't even try to hex you,"

"She only punched you on the nose," continued Leo

"And broke it," said Draco

"As I said Lucky. If you weren't, you wouldn't have a nose anymore," said Ginny. Both Blaise and Draco paled at this, and Narcissa started to read again.

**Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt**

**Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers**

**Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them.**

There were several growls from around the room at this.

"That reminds me of someone," growled Sirius.

**Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

"Of course he did," snarled Tonks, her hair turning coal black with red streaks in it. Remus started to gently rub her back,

**Half an hour later, Leo, who couldn't believe her luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in her life.**

"We'll take you to the zoo!" yelled several people.

"No thanks," said Leo, wrinkling her nose, "it wasn't a very pleasant experience,"

"That's cool," said Charlie, "You can come see the Dragons in Romania,"

"Oi!" said Sirius. He found the idea of anyone else proposing to take Leo anywhere… well, he didn't like it.

"Can I be blamed if I have a cool job?" asked Charlie innocently.

"Never mind Charlie, Leo," said Bill, talking over the arguing Charlie and Sirius, "I'll take you to Egypt,"

"OI!" yelled Sirius, glaring at Bill now.

"What asked Bill innocently.

"Can we be blamed," started Fred.

"If we have cooler places than you," finished George.

Sirius glared at the four of them for a moment, then motioned to Narcissa to continue reading.

_I am not jealous. I just don't want Leo to date!_

_Yeah because you want to date her! _Said a small voice in the back of his head. Sirius quickly squashed that.

**Her aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Leo aside.**

**"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Leo's, "I'm warning you now, girl - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas with bruises."**

There were even more growls a this, and Leo was surprised to see that the book hadn't combusted under the glares sent at .it

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Leo, "honestly..**

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe her. No one ever did.**

"Oh, I'm so sorry about what happened in first year," said McGonagall.

"I don't blame you professor," said Leo.

"After all, we were just in first year," said Hermione.

"And you can't be blamed if Leo has two sided luck," said Ron

"So how did you two get dragged into it?" asked Angelina.

"Cause we're her best friends," said Ron and Hermione.

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Leo**

"What, you mean stranger than what usually happens to her?" asked Blaise with a straight face.

"Shut up Blaise," snapped Leo, going pink.

**And it was just no good telling the Dursleys she didn't make them happen. Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Leo coming back from the barbers looking as though she hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut her hair so short she was almost bald except for her bangs,**

"Oh Leo, I really feel sorry for you," giggled Hermione.

"I can just see you like that," added Ginny.

"Oh shut up you lot," said Leo irritably to the sniggering occupants of the room, "It wasn't a pleasant experience. How would you like to look like that?"

This shut every one up pretty quickly, as Leo had pulled out her wand, and was fingering it threateningly

**Which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Leo, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where she was already laughed at for her baggy clothes and taped glasses. Next morning, however, she had gotten up to find her hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off She had been given a week in her cupboard for this, even though she had tried to explain through the thick door and parched lips**

"Parched Lips?" asked Molly, a warning tone in her voice.

"It's alright Mrs Weasley. I snuck out to get something to eat and drink in the nights," said Leo. This only caused even more people to growl.

**That she couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

"Potter Hair!" yelled Sirius, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"No one argued with you Sirius," said Remus patiently.

"Don't spoil my fun Moony!" said Sirius, wagging a finger at him.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls)**

"Eww!" said Ginny, "That is revolting!"

"I know!" agreed Leo.

"That woman has no fashion sense what so ever!" sniffed Alicia.

"I'll agree with you there," said Hermione, Ginny, Leo and Luna in unison.

**- The harder she tried to pull it over her head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Leo. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to her great relief, Leo wasn't punished.**

**On the other hand, she'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens.**

"How did you do that?" asked Regulus.

"I have no idea," said Leo.

"You know, your mother mentioned something about flying when she was younger, and I remember your dad doing a lot of flying unaided before he came to Hogwarts," said Sirius.

"Nice," said Leo.

"No wonder she's such a good flier," said Angelina.

**Her uncle had broken her rib, and had locked her in her cupboard for a week. She hadn't attended school after that. She had, however, looked through Dudley's school books whenever she could, and she had gone down to the local library whenever she could.**

There was silence at this. Leo went white, and hid her head in Ron's shoulder. He automatically put his arms around her, rocking her gently. Sirius got up, and slowly went over to her. He pulled her out of Ron's arms, and held her face between his hands.

"Lion girl, look at me" said Sirius quietly, " why did you never tell me?"

"They told me to not to. I tried once, and they made me hurt," she said quietly.

"Oh baby girl," sighed Sirius, pulling her into a hug, shaking, while everyone went white.

"How could they?" asked Tonks, her hair changing colours so fast that it as dizzying. Remus pulled her close, letting her bury her face in his chest.

Regulus was staring at Leo, a swirl of black trailing around him. He couldn't believe what this girl had gone through. He swore that if he could, he would do whatever he could to prevent that from happening to her.

Snape was white, lost in memories of similar things. He suddenly realised how similar his life was to Leonora Potter's. Hadn't he sworn that he would make sure that Lily's daughter. But all he had seen was James potters child. He hadn't cared.

Narcissa was shaking so hard, that the book fell from her fingers. Her sister pulled her into a hug, and gently crooned thing s into her ear. After a while, she pulled out of her sisters arms, and picked up the book again.

Sirius pulled her onto the floor, sitting her on his lap, his arms locking around her. Leo relaxed into his arms, hiding her face in her hair.

**Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Leo's surprise as anyone else's, there she was sitting on the chimney.**

"It was the last thing I had expected," admitted Leo.

"It was probably the last thing on any one's mind," said Hermione. She was still looking angry from the last passage, and her hair was crackling dangerously.

"You know Leo, they'll die a really horrible death, if you choose," said Ron suddenly, looking deathly serious, "It all depends on the choice that you make."

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Leo's headmistress telling them Leo had been climbing school buildings. But all she'd tried to do (as she had tried to shout at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of her cupboard and her broken rib) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Leo supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid- jump.**

"What kind of excuse is that?" asked Regulus and Sirius at the same time.

"I was 7," said Leo defensively.

**She was lucky, because the next morning, the bone was healed, but a little crooked, and the scars were still there.**

"You are going to go to a professional healer and have that fixed when we get out of here," said Draco in a tone that brooked no argument. Leo only nodded.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong.**

"Jinx!" yelled Fred and George, while Ron and Hermione shook their heads at Leo.

"Oh go away!" muttered Leo, "This is all in the past!"

**It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, her cupboard, or Mrs Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. **

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Leo, the council, Leo, the bank, and Leo were just a few of his favourite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"There is nothing wrong with Motorcycles!" said Sirius indignantly

**"... Roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

**Leo wondered what her uncle would do if she mentioned her dream. He would probably come close to crashing into the car in front. She could just imagine his purple face as he turned right around in his seat and yelled at Leo, his face like a gigantic beet with a moustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!" and Dudley and piers would snigger like idiots whilst her uncle would probably ignore her attempts to tell him that it was a dream.**

**If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than her asking questions, it was her talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon - they seemed to think she might get dangerous ideas.**

Fred and George looked at each other with mischievous smirks.

"Oh now!" groaned McGonagall.

"You know, cartoons really add to a prankster's creative genius," said Remus.

"Yeah, moony got most of his ideas from them," said Sirius with a smile.

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Leo what she wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. It wasn't bad, either, Leo thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

"You have your mothers humour," laughed Remus.

"I'll say," said Sirius, wincing slightly.

"What's the matter?" asked Hermione.

"Poor Sirius was usually on the receiving end of Lily's wit," said Remus, smirking at his friend. Leo burst into silent giggles, shaking in Sirius's arms. Sirius smiled down at her.

**Leo had the best morning she'd had in a long time. She was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favourite hobby of hitting her.**

"Very slytherin of you miss potter," said Narcissa, looking over the book.

"Well, the hat said I could go in any of the houses," said Leo shrugging.

Snape suddenly looked as if he had just eaten a lemon at the thought of Leonora potter in his house.

**They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his Knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Leo was allowed to finish the first.**

"That is so" started Fred.

"Sad Leo," finished George.

"Oh get over it you two," snapped Leo, looking a little pink.

**Leo felt, afterward, that she should have known it was all too good to last.**

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone.**

"It was really nice there," sighed Leo, "Voldemort would really like it," she added with a giggle. This caused Draco, Hermione and Ginny to crack up, while everyone else just stared at them.

"What?" asked Lea.

"What in Merlins name do you mean?" asked Sirius.

"Cause Voldemort looks part snake," said Ginny innocently, while Draco and Hermione snickered.

There was a collective "Ohhh," at that, and several people snorted.

"No he doesn't," said Regulus with a frown.

"When he came back, he did. Nose less, and bald," said Leo with a shudder. Sirius's arms tightened around her.

"Oh," said Regulus quietly, eyeing his brother with a knowing look. Sirius glared right on back. Regulus only smirked at him.

"But the real question, Leo, is whether or not you liked it there," said Blaise.

"Yeah, I did," said Leo.

"Well, then you're not the only one who's part snake," said Ron.

"Oh go suck on a lemon drop," said Leo.

**Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can - but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

"Well, actually it was just ignoring everyone else," said Leo.

"How do you know?" asked Regulus.

"Just wait, the book'll tell you," sighed Hermione.

"What's the matter Mione?" asked Ginny.

"Nothing," said Hermione, "I just wish Leo had told us before,"

"I didn't know," said Leo.

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

**"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.**

"Rude, arrogant little…" started Leo angrily.

"Leonora Potter, you will not finish that sentence!" snapped Mrs Weasley, interrupting her.

"Sorry," muttered Leo, looking mutinous.

Draco motioned for his mother to continue reading, while everyone around Leo edged away, excluding Sirius, who looked as if he agreed with her.

**"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.**

**"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**Leo moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. She wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself – no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least she got to visit the rest of the house.**

"Comparing yourself to a snake Leo," teased Angelina.

"I could have been one," said Leo.

"Don't say such things!" said Draco, going white.

"The world would have ended if you had," said Blaise with mock seriousness. This caused Ginny, Hermione and Leo to break into giggles, whilst Ron and Sirius snorted.

"I think that most people would have had a heart attack if you had," said Neville.

"I can just see it now," said George.

"**Girl-Who-Lived Sorted into Slytherin. Causes mass Heart attack. **See page 8 for details," finished Fred with a smirk.

"That's not bad," said Leo.

"I wonder who'll do it?" asked Neville.

"I hope not Skeeter," said Leo.

"That Brington guy's good," suggested Blaise.

"He does your mothers stuff," said Ginny.

"So?" asked Blaise. He quickly ducked the pillow sent at him by Leo.

"Girl-who lived?" asked Regulus.

"That's what everyone calls Leo." Said Fred.

"Cause she's the only one to have survived the Killing curse," added George.

"What?" asked Regulus, staring at her.

"Please don't tell me you're gonna be one of those pervs who orgasms when they touch my scar?" begged Leo, going green, causing Sirius to snort.

"Oh Merlin no!" said Regulus, recoiling.

"There are people who get…" started Blaise.

"Yeah, there was this guy in the Leaky cauldron who actually groaned in ecstasy, and then passed out, but that might have just been tom," said Leo.

"That is disgusting!" snapped Andromeda.

"I'll say!" said Kingsley in his slow voice.

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Leo's. It winked.**

"Snakes can'twink" said Hermione.

"Actually, yes they can. They just choose not to," said Leo.

"How do you know?" asked Regulus.

"You'll see," said Ginny.

**Leo stared. Then she looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. She looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

"You winked at a snake?" asked McGonagall.

"Yeah," said Leo.

"Why?" asked Neville.

"Well, he winked at me first," said Leo.

"Don't worry Leo," said Luna, "They'll get it in a bit,"

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Leo a look that said quite plainly:**

**"I get that all the time.**

**"I know," Leo murmured through the glass, though she wasn't sure the snake could hear her. "It must be really annoying." The snake nodded vigorously.**

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Leo asked.**

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Leo peered at it.**

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

**"Was it nice there?"**

"Why are you having a conversation with a snake?" asked Sirius.

"Well, I talk to Draco and Blaise all the time," tried Leo.

"You're a parselmouth?" asked Regulus, going a funny shade of puce.

"Yeah," said Leo.

"Which everyone in the school discovered in second year," said Ginny.

"After Draco shot a snake at her," added Blaise.

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Leo read on:**

**This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Leo made both of**

**They jump.**

**"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"**

**Dudley came waddling**

"Ha-ha, waddling," snickered Draco.

"Well, he was pretty big," said Leo.

"And that hasn't changed at all," said Fred and George.

**Toward them as fast as he could.**

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Leo in the ribs.**

"Oi!" yelled Sirius, "you fat little pig, watch what you're doing!"

"Sirius, you know you're talking to a book," said Regulus.

"You talked to the Encyclopaedia of Linguistics when you were in 4th year," accused Sirius.

"Yeah, but it talked back," said Regulus.

"There's a book that talks to you?" asked Hermione.

"There are several," said Remus.

"That is…" started Hermione.

"Moving on!" interrupted Ginny.

"If you let her get started we'll be here till Christmas," said Ron.

**Caught by surprise, Leo fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

"What did you do?" asked Sirius, leaning forward with excitement.

"You'll see," said Leo.

"That is really annoying," said Alicia.

"Yeah I know.

**Leo sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

**As the snake slid swiftly past, Leo could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo."**

"Nice, a snake with a sense of humour," said Ginny.

Not all snakes are bad gin," said Leo.

"Yeah, I guess," said Ginny.

"And she was being controlled by Voldemort, so you can't blame her," added Leo.

"What are you talking about potter?" snapped Snape.

"Second year," sang Leo.

"Just keep reading Cissa," sighed Sirius.

"You're not gonna get anything else out of her,"

**As it slid past, it deposited a round white thing on the ground beside her, and Leo had enough foresight to quickly tuck it under her jumper and into the hidden pocket she had put there last year. She would see what it was later.**

"What was it?" asked Hermione.

"You'll see," said Leo.

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"**

"Magic, you stupid…" started Draco with a sneer.

"Draco!" snapped Ginny.

"Don't be bigoted," added Leo.

"Fine!" snapped Draco childishly.

"We'll just think it then," added Blaise.

"How the hell did you become friends?" asked Ron.

"I have no idea," said Leo.

"You must have been high," said Angelina.

"Or drunk," said Katie.

"Or perhaps just plain insane," said Alicia.

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Leo had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Leo at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Leo was talking to it, weren't you, Leo?"**

"You fucking little…" sore Sirius.

"Sirius Black! You will not finish that sentence!" snapped Andromeda.

"But it's true," said Regulus, while Sirius muttered darkly under his breath. Leo was caught by the way his hair fell in front of his eyes, and had to fight to stop staring at him.

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Leo. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. **

"He better not have starved you," said Sirius.

"He didn't," said Leo, "They learnt to feed me after I passed out over the vacuum cleaner. So now I get enough to stay awake,"

"That is disgusting Leo!" snapped Ginny.

"Why didn't you go and tell anyone?" asked Hermione.

"Because no one believed me," said Leo, "There was a charm that prevents people from believing that the Dursleys hurt me, so that I don't leave them,"

"I am going to kill Dumbledore!" growled Sirius.

"Very painfully," added Remus.

"Too late," sang Leo.

"What?" asked Molly.

"I cursed him. He'll die when she turns 17," said Draco.

"With help from me!" pouted Leo.

"You cursed the headmaster?" asked Hermione.

"Yep," said Leo.

**Leo lay in her dark cupboard much later, wishing she had a watch. She didn't know what time it was and she couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, she couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

"No wonder you're so good at sneaking around the castle," said Fred.

"Practise makes perfect," said Leo with a very good impression of Hermione.

"Oh god, shut up," groaned Ron, Ginny and Neville.

"Who?" asked Leo and Hermione.

"Both of you,"

"I didn't say anything," said Hermione.

"But you were going to," said Ron.

"Uhh…yeah," said Hermione sheepishly.

**Then she remembered the round thing that the snake had left for her. She quickly pulled it out of her jumper and held it on her palm. It was luminescent, and almost seemed to glow in the dark. It had a rubbery texture. She wondered what it was, before remembering what she had read about snake eggs. This was probably a snake egg.**

"You had a snake egg?" asked Draco with surprise.

"Yeah, but now I have a snake," said Leo.

"Really?" asked Sirius.

"Where?" asked Remus at the same time, looking around. Leo carefully put a hand down her shirt, causing several people to go red. She ignored them and pulled out a black snake, about the length of her arm. It twisted for a moment, before twining around her arm, hissing. Leo responded with a bout a parseltongue.

"That's your snake?" asked Hermione, and Leo nodded

"How come you never told us?" asked Ron.

"Because she was mine," said Leo.

"And you wanted a secret," said Regulus.

"Yeah," said Leo sheepishly.

"So what's her name?" grunted Moody.

"Siyasehai (**pronounced Si-YA-se-Hai**)," said Leo, allowing the s's to roll in her mouth, "Or Sisi (**pronounced See-see**) for short,"

"Cool," whispered Fred and George.

"What kind of snake is she?" asked Neville.

"I think she's her own species. She changes a lot, but she likes this form the most," said Leo shrugging.

"She sounds like a familiar," said Snape quietly.

"Yeah, I guess she is," said Leo, smiling slightly at Snape.

"I wonder if there is a way to understand her," murmured Remus thoughtfully.

"There is. I found it in one of Slytherin's journals. Apparently he used it so that his familiar could be understood by the founders. The spell can be lifted whenever I want," said Leo excitedly.

"Where did you get a copy of Slytherin's journals? They have been missing for centuries!" said Sirius.

"I don't have a copy, I have the originals," mumbled Leo.

"What?" asked Lucius.

"From where?" asked Narcissa.

"From the chamber," guessed Ginny.

"Yeah," said Leo.

"But why would you go back there?" asked Ron.

"Because I wanted to see what else was there," said Leo.

"I guess, but why didn't you bring us?" Asked Hermione.

"I dunno," said Leo.

"Why don't we move on, and you lot can argue later," said Angelina.

"Fine," snapped Hermione and Ron.

**She'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as she could remember, ever since she'd been a baby and her parents had died in that car crash.**

"A car crash?" hissed Snape dangerously.

"How dare they," growled Sirius.

"Don't worry, they got a telling off," said Leo soothingly.

"Telling off!" hissed Remus.

"I'm gonna kill them!" growled Sirius.

**She couldn't remember being in the car when her parents had died. Sometimes, when she strained her memory during long hours in her cupboard, she came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on her forehead.**

As easily as that, the angry atmosphere of the room evaporated into one of sombreness and sadness.

"You remember that?" asked Tonks.

"Yeah," said Leo, "And so much more,"

Her words caused the sombreness of the room to grow even thicker.

**This, she supposed, was the crash, though she couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. She couldn't remember her parents at all. Her aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course she was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

"I have some now, thanks to Hagrid," said Leo, smiling.

"We can give you loads more," said Sirius and Remus instantly.

**When she had been younger, Leo had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take her away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were her only family.**

"Oh Lion girl, I'm so sorry," whispered Sirius.

"It wasn't your fault!" snapped Leo.

"She's right Sirius. I would have done the same if I had realised what was going on," said Remus seriously.

"What did you do?" asked Regulus.

"Um…" said Sirius, at a sudden loss for words.

"He did several things in the heat of the moment, and ended up in Azkaban," said Hermione neutrally.

"What a novel way to put it," said Sirius, grinning half-heartedly.

"Azkaban?" asked Regulus quietly, his voice deathly.

"Uhh, can we talk about it later," asked Sirius, sounding panicky.

"We will. Oh we most certainly will," said Regulus in a voice that promised pain.

**Yet sometimes she thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know her. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to her once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Leo furiously if she knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken her hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Leo tried to get a closer look.**

"I thought that no one was supposed to know where Leo was," said Hermione confusedly.

"Dumbledore put the spells up, but he never bothered to put much power into them, or to renew them. The only spell he checked was the one that stopped Voldemort from finding me," said Leo.

"He has a lot to pay for," said McGonagall.

"Yes, he does," said Lucius, surprisingly.

**At school, Leo had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Leo Potter in her baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"That's the end of the chapter," said Narcissa.

"Come along Sirius," said Regulus getting up. He walked from the room, Sirius following like a lost puppy.

"Why does Sirius fear him so?" asked Leo.

"Because of the Black temper," said Narcissa.

"When we lose our temper, we are really dangerous," said Andromeda.

"Like Leo?" asked Hermione.

"I don't think so" said Remus, "The Black temper is legendry.

"I object," said Ginny, "Leo almost blew up the Great Hall once,"

"Well, then maybe they're on power," said Remus.

"The black temper is dangerous. Sirius is following along because he knows just how dangerous it is," said Narcissa.

"Besides Sirius's temper is way worse that his brothers," said Remus.

"He trumps even Bella," said Andromeda.

Which is why it is probably a god thing that they are on opposite sides of the war," said Narcissa.

"What side do you think that Sirius would have been on if they were on the same side?" asked Leo.

"Dark," said several people at once.

"Bellatrix has always been dark, but Sirius was neutral. He was far more dangerous for it," said Moody.

"Oh," said the teenagers. There was a sudden explosion from outside the room.

"What was that?" asked Neville.

"Regulus," said Lucius, "He specialises in blowing things up,"

"Then we probably shouldn't introduce him to Seamus," joked Neville.

"Merlin forbid!" said Snape and McGonagall.

"What does Sirius do when he loses his temper?" asked Leo.

"He destroys things," said Narcissa.

"He destroys them beyond the point of repair," added Remus.

"What do you mean?" asked Ginny.

"When he ran away from the House of Black, he destroyed the mansion," said Andromeda.

"There was nothing left," said Narcissa.

"Dust in the wind from the stone,"

"Everything else had been vanished into negation,"

"Negation doesn't exist," objected Hermione.

"It's existence was proved that day," said Narcissa darkly.

The silence was deafening.

"So who wants to read next?" asked Leo.

"I will," said Lucius.

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update. This is the next chapter. I hope you like it. **

**Now if people want, I will put up a thingy for Sirius's conversation with Regulus, and another one for the day he ran away from home. Please R&R and tell me if you want me to.**

**Out for now,**

**Arana'a**


	5. Letters from No one

**Hello people.**

**Sorry about taking so long to update, but I was being really lazy, and I didn't look at my laptop for 2 weeks. I am also sorry about not putting up the two oneshots. I'm still writing them, so they might take a while.**

**Disclaimer: let me take a look… nope, still not mine.**

The door of the room opened, and a singed Sirius walked in, followed by a fuming Regulus.

"Siri, are you alright?" asked Leo worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," mumbled Sirius, deciding that it would probably be safer witting next to Leo than his brother. He settled himself in Leo's old spot, and Leo immediately leaned against his legs.

"Soo, who's reading next?" asked Sirius.

"Lucius is reading," said Narcissa quietly. Her husband opened the book, but was interrupted by Luna.

"Did you really banish objects into negation the day you ran away from home?" she asked dreamily.

"Uhh, I don't know," said Sirius sheepishly.

"You did," said Narcissa, Andromeda and Regulus at once.

"Really?" asked Sirius, perking up.

"What are you looking so happy for?" asked Moody.

"I finally proved that negation exists," said Sirius.

"Actually, the researchers in the department of mysteries proved it," said Remus.

"Yeah, but they couldn't have done it without me!" said Sirius puffing his chest out.

"At the cost of mother's collection of skulls," said Regulus.

"Good riddance!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Can we read now?" asked Neville.

"But don't you wanna hear about how I blew up the house?" asked Sirius.

"You don't even know what happened!" said Regulus.

"Technicalities!" said Sirius airily.

"Read Mr Malfoy!" said Leo. Lucius glared at her, but he complied.

_**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Leonora her longest-ever punishment. By the time she was allowed out of her cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new cine-camera, crashed his remote-control aeroplane and, first time on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches.**_

"What are all those things?" asked Draco.

"Muggle stuff," said Ginny.

"I'll explain later," added Leo.

_**Leonora was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader**_

This caused several snickers, and a few pointed looks at Draco.

"You know, that reminds me of someone," said Leo.

"Yeah, your DA club," sneered Draco.

"Actually, I was thinking of Crabbe and Goyle," said Angelina.

"Seeing as they are the biggest and stupidest in the school," added Katie.

"Possibly a by-product of trolls," finished Alicia.

"Actually, it's a by-product of inbreeding, as the Crabbe's, and the Goyle's are completely human," said Sirius.

"Did you test to prove it?" asked Hermione.

Yeah," said Regulus.

_**. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favourite sport: Leo-hunting.**_

_**This was why Leo spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where she could see a tiny ray of hope.**_

"Yay for Hogwarts!" said Neville.

"Actually, I was thinking of being able to go to school for the first time in a long time. And to not be around Dudley," said Leo casually.

"You know Leo, we really need a few test subjects," said Fred and George suddenly.

"I think, if no magic is used, and the muggles agree, you could practise on Leo's relatives, seeing as they already know of magic," said Hermione.

"Our stuff might have a few adverse effects," said Fred.

"Cause we're still ironing out the wrinkles," added George.

"It shouldn't be that bad," said Leo, waving a hand.

"Besides, weren't you gonna visit Leo over the holidays?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah, we were," said Fred and George.

"Go for it," said Leo.

"What stuff are you talking about?" asked Molly suspiciously.

"Nothing mum," said George innocently.

"Just some projects to get a bit of money," said Fred.

"And possibly outdo Zonko's," mumbled Ron to Hermione.

"Do continue Lucy," said Sirius brightly, causing a few people to snort.

"You will die a very slow and painful death Black!" snarled Lucius.

_**When September came she would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in her life, she wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had a place at Uncle Vernon's old school, Smelting's. Piers Polkiss was going there, too. Leo, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local comprehensive. Dudley thought this was very funny.**_

"Don't see why," said Ron.

"Why would I know the workings of his mind?" asked Leo, "he's just too dumb,"

"Maybe Crabbe and Goyle would understand him," said Draco.

"If we were to introduce them," said Blaise, smirking wickedly.

"_**They stuff people's heads down the toilet first day at Stonewall," he told Leo. "Want to come upstairs and practise?"**_

"He better not have," growled Sirius.

"Don't worry, he didn't," smiled Leo.

"_**No thanks," said Leo. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it – it might be sick." Then she ran, before Dudley could work out what she'd said.**_

"You know, I'm still waiting for an answer," said Leo. This caused the room to burst into laughter.

"You know Leo, I don't know why you never displayed these amazing talents before," said George.

"Because it all happens in my head," said Leo.

"You could make a killing in comedy," said Fred.

"I don't need to," smirked Leo.

"Yeah," chuckled Ron.

"But it's nice having a friend who pays for everything," said Ginny.

"What am I, just a sack of gold to you?" asked Leo in mock annoyance.

Yep," grinned Ginny and Hermione, causing all three of them to burst into giggles.

_**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smelting's uniform, leaving Leo at Mrs Figg's. Mrs Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before.**_

"Yes, she sees the light!" exclaimed Sirius

"Sirius," said Regulus sweetly.

"Yeah," said Sirius warily.

"Shut up you heathen cat hater!" snapped his brother.

"The only cat who is any good is Crookshanks!" said Sirius, "And he's part Kneazle,"

"And your part…" started Regulus.

"Moving on you two," said Andromeda.

_**She let Leo watch television and gave her a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**_

"Blasphemy!" said Remus.

"Chocoholic," said Sirius in the same tone.

"What are you talking about?" asked Remus, nibbling on a chocolate frog.

"Never mind," sighed Sirius, while everyone else sniggered. Remus shot him a confused look, before continuing on his frog.

_**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living-room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smelting's boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks,**_

This caused several people to start laughing, while everyone else snickered.

"That was the funniest thing ever!" giggled Leo.

_**Used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**_

"I don't see how," sniffed Narcissa.

"We have wands for hexing each other," said Leo.

"That doesn't make sense," said Hermione.

"So?" asked Leo, "What's your point?"

"Never mind," said Hermione, while Leo giggled.

_**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up.**_

"Drama queen," sniffed Hermione.

"Rather like Lavender," said Leo with a grimace.

"I'll say" said Ginny, Angelina, Katie and Alicia.

_**Leo didn't trust herself to speak. She thought two of her ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.**_

Right now, the room's occupants weren't showing the same control.

"You have really good control," said Hermione.

"Yeah," said Ron, "You're one of the best liars,"

"What do you mean?" asked McGonagall suspiciously.

"I don't know professor," said Leo, "I really have no idea what Ron is talking about,"

She said this with a perfectly straight face, with a mix of confusion and innocence, and if Sirius hadn't been looking closely, he would have missed the small twinkle in her eye that gave her away.

_**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen next morning when Leo went in for breakfast**_._** It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. She went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in grey water.**_

"Rather like the troll," said Leo.

"When have you ever met a troll?" asked Charlie.

"Why are you asking me that?" asked Leo.

"We have met creatures that are even more dangerous," said Ron.

"Like the Devil's snare," snickered Leo.

"Shut up Leo," said Hermione, going pink.

"There's no wood," mumbled Ron under his breath, causing Leo and himself to snicker.

"What are you talking about?" asked Regulus.

"You'll find pout at the end of the book," said Leo.

"_**What's this?" she asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if she dared to ask a question.**_

"How is she supposed to learn if she doesn't ask questions?" asked Hermione.

"They didn't want me to learn" said Leo.

"Besides, she asks enough questions when she's at school," said Ron.

"_**Your new school uniform," she said.**_

_**Leo looked in the bowl again.**_

"_**Oh," she said. "I didn't realise it had to be so wet."**_

"I shouldn't have bothered," sighed Leo with exaggerated misery, "She doesn't get sarcasm. It flies right over her,"

"Always did," mumbled Snape.

"_**Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things grey for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**_

"Yeah right," said Ginny.

"If she thinks that, she should be admitted to an asylum," said Alicia.

"I wish she was," mumbled Leo.

_**Leo seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. She sat down at the table and tried not to think about how she was going to look on her first day at Stonewall High – like she was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.**_

"Where do all these descriptions come from?" asked Leo.

"For you," said Hermione.

"Yeah right," scoffed Leo.

"Have you heard yourself describe things?" asked Ginny.

"These descriptions definitely come from you," said Draco.

_**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Leo's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting's stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**_

"Oh gross," said Tonks.

"What?" asked several people.

"He carries it everywhere," said Tonks, "Probably even to the Loo,"

"Thank you Tonks, for that mental image that I didn't need," said Hermione.

"I was happier when I didn't know that," said Leo.

_**They heard the click of the letter-box and flop of letters on the doormat.**_

"_**Get the post, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**_

"_**Make Leo get it."**_

"_**Get the post, Girl."**_

"What?" asked Hermione.

"They're being nice?" asked Blaise.

"No," said Leo.

"Don't they know your name?" asked Neville, sneering at the book.

"Yeah," said Leo.

"So why don't they use it?" asked Ginny.

"Using it and knowing it are two different things," said Luna.

"Yeah, what she said," said Leo. Suddenly, Draco let out a snicker.

"What?" asked Leo. Draco turned to her and waggled his eyebrows.

"Oh gross drake!" snapped Leo. Blaise and Ginny immediately caught on.

"Draco!" chastised Ginny.

"Can't you ever grow up?" asked Blaise.

"What? I'm pubescent, and I can't help what I think of," said Draco loftily.

"Well don't share it with us," said Hermione, catching on.

"_**Make Dudley get it."**_

"_**Poke her with your Smelting's stick, Dudley."**_

_**Leo dodged the Smelting's stick and went to get the post. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was holidaying on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and – **__**a letter for Leo.**_

"DUN! DUN! DUN!" said Neville dramatically, causing several people to chuckle.

"You get your Hogwarts letter!" said Sirius, grinning madly.

"I remember the day you got your letter," said Regulus suddenly.

"Oh?" asked Sirius.

"You blew up the table, and almost cut of blood circulation in the owl's leg because you tied the acceptance letter so tight," smiled Regulus, "and he had to send a second,"

"Why?" asked Leo. Sisius mumbled something, going red.

"What?" asked Luna.

"Bella told him that the school would only accept his acceptance if it was written in Greek," said Narcissa, smiling.

"And he was afraid that the owl would lose his letter," said Andromeda.

"And you fell for it?" asked Leo, turning to smirk at Sirius.

"Oh go away," mumbled Sirius.

I don't remember that," grinned Remus.

"Would you tell?" asked Sirius.

"No," said Remus, but he was still smiling at Sirius.

_**Leo picked it up and stared at it, her heart twanging like a giant elastic band.**_

"Your heart does funny things," said Angelina.

"It's a Muggle expression," sighed Sirius.

"So what does it mean?" asked Neville.

"It means that she was really excited," said Hermione.

_**No one, ever, in her whole life, had written to her. Who would? She had no friends, no other relatives – she didn't belong to the library so she'd never even got rude notes asking for books back.**_

"Oh Leo," said Hermione, sniffling slightly. She and Ginny immediately put their arms around the black haired girl. They were immediately joined by most of the teenagers in the room.

"You guys," said Leo, "I love you al, and there's no way to describe how happy you make me, but I really need to breathe!"

They immediately let go of her, allowing the brightly blushing girl to take a few deep breathes.

"You know Leo, really am sorry," said Ron.

"I told you Ron, I forgive you," smiled Leo.

"Yeah, but I didn't have to have been such an arse about it," said Ron.

"You two really need to stop arguing about this," said Hermione.

"And we really should be continuing," said Luna.

_**Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**_

_**Ms L. Potter**_

_**The Cupboard under the Stairs**_

_**4 Privet Drive**_

_**Little Whinging**_

_**Surrey**_

"How come you never noticed the address?" asked Sirius angrily.

"I never check the letters, Dumbledore…" McGonagall trailed off realising what she was saying.

"Dumbledore checks them," said Neville angrily, finishing for his Head of House.

"That old lying goat!" said Leo angrily.

"That's it?" asked Ginny, turning to her.

"What?" asked Leo.

"Usually you're way more expressive," said Hermione.

"Yeah, you swear way more," said Katie.

"How do you know?" asked Regulus.

"When Leonora gets angry, everyone in the tower knows," said Percy. Everyone who had seen Leo angry nodded.

"She's really bad," said Ron.

"You guys know I'm in the room," said Leo irritably.

Oh yeah," said Blaise.

"There you are," added Draco.

"Oh ha!" said Leo sarcastically.

"Yeah we thought it was funny too," said Ginny.

_**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**_

"What's a stamp?" asked Draco.

"It's a small square piece of paper that muggles put on their letters," said Remus.

"Really?" asked Blaise.

"Why?" asked Draco.

"It's a sort of payment for the service of delivering the letter," said Hermione.

"What do you mean?"

"Muggle have a postman to deliver letters. They don't use owls," said Leo.

"Silly practise," mumbled Draco, trying to avoid looking at his glaring father.

_**Turning the envelope over, her hand trembling, Leo saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion,**_

"Woohoo!" cheered all the Gryffindor's.

_**An eagle**_

"Yay!" said Luna and Kingsley, smiling at each other.

_**A badger**_

"Yeah!" Tonks and Mad-eye cheered.

"You're a Hufflepuff Professor?" asked Leo.

"Yeah," grunted Mad-eye, "And don't call me Professor Potter. I never did get around to teaching did I?"

_**And a snake**_

Everyone in the room turned to the Slytherins.

"We don't need to cheer," said Draco.

"Everyone turns to us anyway," said Regulus smugly.

"Oh yeah," growled Sirius.

"Well, didn't you all turn to us?" asked Andromeda, smiling.

"Oh keep reading," grumbled Sirius, waving his hand at Lucius, who was looking smugly superior, a look mirrored almost perfectly by his son.

"If you don't stop looking like that, _Malfoy_, I'll smack you," snarled Hermione. Draco immediately lost his look, and became dutifully blank.

_**Surrounding a large letter "H".**_

"_**Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter-bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**_

"What kind of a joke is that?" asked Remus indignantly.

"That, Gred, is just sad," said George.

"Quite right, forge," said Fred.

"He needs a lesson in humour," said Sirius.

"There's no point," said Leo, "He's so stupid that it'll go right over his head,"

_**Leo went back to the kitchen, still staring at her letter. She handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.**_

"In the kitchen?" asked Draco, turning to her.

"I was in shock," mumbled Leo.

"That doesn't mean anything," snapped regulus.

"I would have thought that growing up with muggles like that would have given you an edge," said Andromeda.

"I was 11, and it was my first letter," said Leo defensively.

"Still," said Sirius.

"Oh keep reading," said Leo, going red, while everyone sniggered.

_**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust and flipped over the postcard.**_

"_**Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk …"**_

"She'll be even more ill in a few years," sniggered Ron.

"Well, she deserved it, saying the things she did," said Leo, tossing her hair, and temporarily causing Sirius to blank out for a moment.

"_**Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Leo's got something!"**_

"Tattletale!" sniffed Draco.

"Look who's talking," said Hermione.

"I don't know what you're talking about Granger," said Draco airily.

"Yeah," smiled Leo.

"Sure," added Ginny, giggling slightly.

_**Leo was on the point of unfolding her letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of her hand by Uncle Vernon.**_

"Oi!" yelled Sirius, "Give it back you thief!"

"Don't worry Sirius," sighed Leo.

"_**That's mine!" said Leo, trying to snatch it back.**_

"There isn't any reason to get angry, you'll read it," said Remus soothingly, looking at her with amusement.

"I wonder whose temper you have, your mothers, or your fathers?" wondered Sirius.

"_**Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it.**_

_**His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the greyish white of old porridge.**_

"And there's the descriptions we're used to," said Draco.

"Oh shut up," said Leo, a brilliant red.

"_**P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**_

_**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it**_

"I wonder if it is mentally possible for him to read it," said Hermione, sneering at the book.

"Hermione, either sneer at Mr Malfoy, or the book, not both," said Leo.

"What are you talking about?" asked Hermione, turning away.

_**But Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.**_

"Yes. Choke you horrible woman!" cheered Luna and Ginny.

"I wish," mumbled Leo.

"_**Vernon! Oh my goodness – Vernon!"**_

"Oh God, the images have returned!" groaned Draco, burying his head in his hands.

"Oh god, Draco, keep it to yourself!" said Leo, going green.

"Someone really needs to talk to you about your tendance to stray to the gutter," said Ginny.

"I can't help it," said Draco.

"It's called puberty," said Blaise.

"You're as bad as him," said Leo.

"Moving on," said Tonks brightly, although her hair was a bright shade of green.

_**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Leo and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting's stick.**_

"If we had ever done that," started Fred.

"We wouldn't have been able to sit for a month," finished George.

"At least we have better manners than that boy," sniffed Angelina.

"_**I want to read that letter," he said loudly.**_

"It's not yours!" snapped McGonagall.

"Yeah, it's Leo's," growled Sirius.

"You guys know you're talking to a book, right?" said Neville.

"_**I want to read it," said Leo furiously, "as it's mine."**_

"_**Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**_

_**Leo didn't move.**_

" _**I WANT MY LETTER!" she shouted.**_

"And it's your dad's temper!" cheered Sirius.

"That's not a good thing," mumbled Remus, sniggering at Sirius.

"Oh shut up, you mutt," said Sirius, going red.

"What happened?" asked Leo.

"Your dad almost fried Sirius alive after he tried to hit on Lily," said Remus.

"You tried to hit on my mom?" asked Leo, turning to stare at her Godfather incredulously.

"Only to annoy James!" Sirius was quick to say.

"_**Let **__**me**__** see it!" demanded Dudley.**_

"Not yours, pig boy," snarled Ron, causing Leo to giggle.

"_**OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Leo and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them**_

"He better not have hurt you," growled Sirius.

"Don't worry, I was fine," said Leo.

_**. Leo and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won, so Leo, her glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on her stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor. It was the better spot anyway. She had pretended to want the keyhole, so Dudley would have it.**_

"That is soo Slytherin," said Katie.

"I know," said Leo, Fred, George, Remus and Sirius.

"Being a prankster is about being a mix of all the houses," said Sirius.

"It's combining all the best traits that make you good," said Leo.

"_**Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address – how could they possibly know where she sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**_

"Yeah, because all wizards waste their time spying on a lot of idiots, even if Leonora potter is living there," growled Mad-eye.

"We should have come to check on you Leo," said Kingsley,"

"It's all in the past," said Leo.

"But it's still wrong lion girl," said Sirius.

"Can we talk about it later?" asked Leo, trying to get out of it.

"Fine," said Sirius.

"_**Watching – spying – might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**_

"You know, he might just be more paranoid than Mad-eye," said Leo.

"Not possible," said Tonks and Kingsley.

"_**But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want –"**_

_**Leo could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen. She had spent an hour polishing them in time for the morning.**_

"_**No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer … yes, that's best … we won't do anything …"**_

"Not gonna work!" Said Hermione. She and several others had heard what had happened when Leo's uncle and aunt had tried to ignore the Hogwarts letter.

"Well now we get to hear what really happened," said Ron.

"What do you mean?" asked Leo, "I wold you everything!"

"Do you honestly expect us to believe that Leo?" asked Ron, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I can hope," said Leo.

"_**But –"**_

"_**I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took her in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**_

Lucius Malfoy managed to get the words out before he closed the book and sent it flying across the room. His reaction seemed to be mild in comparison to what everyone else was feeling. Sirius and his brother froze, the air around them swirling with black and white lights. The lights in the room flickered, and the temperature rose and dropped so rapidly, Leo swore that she could see ice crystals forming and melting.

"What does that mean?" asked Draco, his eyes a black, which was almost polar opposite to his usual unique eye colour of silver.

"Nothing," said Leo, "he didn't do anything to me!

_Except take me to an extortionist, break a couple of bones, starve me, and make me do all the housework._ Thought Leo, hoping to God that none of the people in this room had the ability to read minds. She didn't see Snape stiffening in horror, his face paling dramatically.

"Liar," hissed Ginny, "They hurt you!"

"Not really gin," said Leo, now looking panicked.

"They did," said Blaise, leaning forwards.

"Leo, you can't keep denying this!" said Hermione sternly.

"Fine, just – please…stop," said Leo, hiding her face in her hair.

The book was gently levitated from its position, and Lucius Malfoy started to read through gritted teeth.

_**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Leo in her cupboard.**_

"He fit?" asked Fred in attempt to lighten the mood.

"Just his head," said Leo, from beneath her hair.

"_**Where's my letter?" said Leo, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to me?"**_

"Strait to the point, as always," said Ron, smiling slightly.

"What's that mean?" asked Leo, looking up.

"You have a tendency to be blunt," said Hermione and Ginny in unison.

"I do not," said Leo.

"And Ron has tact," said Charlie.

"Oi!" said Ron, turning to his brother.

"It's true," said Ginny.

"_**No one. It was addressed to you by mistake,"**_

"Liar, liar, pants on fire," sang Fred and George.

"That is a lovely idea," said Sirius.

"We know," said the twins, puffing up their chests.

_**Said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it."**_

"That is…" said Hermione, looking murderous.

"_**It was not a mistake," said Leo angrily. "It had my cupboard on it."**_

"I wonder, if we put Leo and Regulus in the same room, who do you think would be able to out shout the other?" asked Sirius.

"Excuse me?" asked Leo, raising and eyebrow at him.

"You both have really loud voices," said Andromeda.

"I do not," sniffed Leo.

"The whole house heard you when you started yelling on the day you came to Grimmauld Place," said Molly.

"What're you doing in the city house?" asked Regulus.

"None of your business," said Sirius quickly.

"_**SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling.**_

Here Ron let out a small whimper, going white.

"What is the matter?" asked Regulus.

"Ron doesn't like spiders," said Leo.

"He had a lot of bad experience with them," said Ginny, turning to glare at the twins.

"What're you glaring at me, it was him," said Fred, pointing at George.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said George.

"You turned my toy into a spider," snapped Ron.

"Accidental magic," said George, "you broke my broom,"

"Can we move on?" asked Hermione.

"Before this turns into a childish argument," added Ginny.

_**He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.**_

"I hope it was," said Hermione vindictively.

"You know Granger, I never would have expected you to be that vindictive," said Draco.

"Do you remember when she punched you in the face," said Ginny.

"Besides, I spend way too much time around Leo," said Hermione, tossing her hair.

"I'm not vindictive, or mean or…" said Leo.

"Yeah, sure Leo," said Ron, giving his friend a knowing smirk.

"_**Err – yes, Leo – about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking … you're really getting a bit big for it … we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."**_

"You know, I never got why you would need a second bedroom," said Leo hurriedly, before anyone else could say anything, "You only really need one to sleep in,"

"Leo," growled Sirius.

"I had two," said Regulus, taking pity on the panicking girl. He ignored his glaring brother, "I used one for sleeping, and the other as a kind of study,"

"Dudley used his other one to keep his broken toys in," said Leo.

"_**Why?" said Leo.**_

"Why are you questioning it?" asked Charlie.

"Because there is always a catch," said Draco.

"For you maybe," scoffed Bill.

"Think about it," said Blaise.

"There is always a catch," said Leo.

"_**Don't ask questions!" snapped her uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now. You should be grateful that your aunt and I are allowing you your own room,"**_

"It's not that bad," said Leo, "you know, after I cleared out all the junk, and got some stuff to decorate the room. Having my own money is really useful,"

"Huh?" asked Blaise, turning to her.

"He means what does your own money have to do with anything," said Draco.

"I know that Dray," said Leo, "Because I had to rely on the Dursleys for everything,"

"But that's ridiculous," said Remus, "the Dursleys should have received a pay check for your care,"

"Well, they were always complaining about how much of a burden I was," said Leo.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ron, "I mean, you only get into the hospital wing every week or so,"

"What?" asked Sirius protectively.

"You and James used to get in every couple of days," reminded Remus.

"Technicalities," said Sirius.

"Let's continue," said Leo

_**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom.**_

"Four bedrooms?" asked Remus, his eyes changing to amber.

"I know," said Leo, pouting, "It really wasn't fair. I had to clean them all,"

"That was soo not what I was expecting" said Neville.

"That, Neville-my-boy, was my intentions," said Leo with a wink.

"Stop changing the topic!" snapped Sirius.

"Why?" asked Leo.

"Because we're trying to-to…oh what is the word?" asked Tonks in annoyance.

"I dunno, but whatever it is," started George.

"She is succeeding in stopping you," finished Fred with a grin. The twins turned to wink at Leo, but their eyes told her that they would be talking with her about it later.

_**It only took Leo one trip upstairs to move everything she owned from the cupboard to this room.**_

"Now that is wrong," said Ginny.

"Have you seen how many clothes she has?" asked Hermione. Almost everyone in the room nodded.

"What?" asked Leo, as her Godfather and Remus turned to look at her, "I like to shop,"

"And buy stuff for everyone that goes with you," said Ron, grinning.

"Yeah," said several others.

"She buys so much that we lose all the feeling in our arms," complained the twins.

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"Because we get dumped with all the bags," said Ron. Most of the males in the room nodded in empathy.

"Okay, so I like to spend money," said Leo.

"It's a compulsive thing that's been in the Potters for generations," said Sirius.

"It's a miracle that the Potters still have their fortune," added Remus.

"We just have really goo skills that earn us stuff," said Leo, "For example, I got quite a bit from the triwizard tournament,"

"But does she still have it?" asked Hermione and Draco.

"No," responded Ginny and Ron.

"I gave it away," said Leo, "I didn't spend it.

"Why don't we continue this conversation on Ms Potters spending habits later," suggested Narcissa coolly.

_**She sat down on the bed and stared around her. Nearly everything in here was broken.**_

"Wanna bet she patches it all up," asked Fred and George.

"Well, not all of it," said Leo, "Just the stuff that could be fixed.

_**The month-old cine-camera**_

"Fixed," said Leo, when everyone turned to her.

_**Was lying on top of a small, working tank**_

"Fixed,"

_**Dudley had once driven over next door's dog**_

"That poor dog," said Luna.

"It was fine," said Leo, "A little traumatised, but fine,"

_**; In the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set**_

"Binned it," said Leo.

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"And what is it?" asked Draco.

"A television is a small box in which pictures can be viewed," said Leo, "And I don't really know how it works, but that's what it does,"

_**, which he'd put his foot through when his favourite programme had been cancelled;**_

"Spoiled Brat," sniffed Andromeda and Narcissa at the same time.

_**There was a large birdcage**_

Hedwig uses it now," said Leo.

_**Which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air-rifle,**_

"Binned it," said Leo.

_**Which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it.**_

"Proof of how fat he is," sneered Neville.

"Wow Nev, I didn't know you had it in you," said Angelina.\

"He's spent way too much time around Leo," said Ron.

"I don't sneer," said Leo.

"Yeah you do," answered several people, causing Leo to pout.

Sirius spent a moment reflecting on how cute she looked like that, before he realised he could see down her shirt. He then spent a while trying to ignore the impulse to continue looking down her shirt.

_**Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched**_

"Blasphemy," sniffed Hermione.

"They were really good books, but I got rid of the instruction manuals, and the kids' books," said Leo.

"You didn't chuck them in the bin?" asked Hermione.

"No, I donated them to the library, and I've put some other cool ones up," said Leo.

_**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother: "I don't **__**want**__** her in there … I **__**need**__** that room … make her get out …"**_

_**Leo sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday she'd have given anything to be up here. Today she'd rather be back in her cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**_

"Well the good thing is; I got the letter, and I got to keep the rom," said Leo, grinning.

_**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting's stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof and he still didn't have his room back.**_

"That child needs to be disciplined," said Molly.

"Indeed," said Narcissa.

_**Leo was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing she'd opened the letter in the hall.**_

"Better luck next time," said Draco.

"Not really," answered Leo.

_**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly.**_

"What's the matter, lovers spat?" asked Draco sarcastically.

"Draco," said Ginny sweetly.

"Yeah," answered Draco.

"Keep it to yourself," snapped Leo.

_**When the post arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Leo,**_

"Key word here is trying," said Alicia.

_**Made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting's stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! **__**Ms L. Potter, the Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive –**__**"**_

"Useful," remarked Leo.

"How so?" asked Remus.

"I get to find out where I sleep," said Leo, causing most of the Rooms occupants to start laughing.

_**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Leo right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Leo had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind.**_

Hermione and Ron started to snigger.

"Training for later?" asked Hermione, through her giggles.

"Oh shut up!" said Leo going pink.

"What do they mean?" asked Sirius.

"You'll see," said Luna.

_**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting's stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Leo's letter clutched in his hand.**_

"Victory for the walrus," said Hermione sarcastically.

"_**Go to your cupboard – I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Leo. "Dudley – go – just go."**_

_**Leo walked round and round her new room. Someone knew she had moved out of her cupboard and they seemed to know she hadn't received her first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again?**_

_**And this time she'd make sure they didn't fail. She had a plan.**_

"Great," said Ron sarcastically.

"What does that mean/" asked Leo.

"Your plans don't always work," said Hermione.

"It's when you go by instinct that we actually get out alive," added Ron.

"My plans are fine. It's just that circumstances stop them from working," said Leo.

"Yeah, sure," grinned Draco.

_**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Leo turned it off quickly and dressed silently. She mustn't wake the Dursleys. She stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.**_

_**She was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first.**_

"That wasn't such a bad plan," admitted Hermione.

"Of course not," said Leo smugly.

"So what went wrong?" asked Ron.

"Why do you always think something went wrong?" asked Leo.

"Because something did go wrong," suggested Sirius and Regulus.

_**Her heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall towards the front door –**_

"_**AAAAARRRGH!"**_

"What was that?" asked Sirius and Blaise, their voices going up an octave in worry.

"Oh honestly, it was nothing," said Leo.

"Yeah right," said Hermione.

_**Leo leapt into the air – she'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat – something alive!**_

"It's alive!" screamed Hermione, before cracking up. She was joined by Leo and Katie.

"I don't get it," said Regulus, staring at the three

"You need to watch Frankenstein," said Sirius.

"You wet your pants watching it," said Remus.

"Did not!" protested Sirius, "That was James…and Peter,"

"And you," chuckled Remus.

"And you too," said Sirius.

"What about my mum?" asked Leo.

"She was laughing as we screamed," said Sirius.

"I can't believe you screamed during Frankenstein," sniggered Tonks.

"It's scary," said Sirius.

"Yeah, so is jaws," said Leo, smirking at her squirming Godfather and adopted uncle (although he didn't know it as yet).

"That doesn't help you live longer either," said Sirius.

"What are you talking about?" asked Narcissa and Draco.

"Muggle films," said Leo.

"You can watch them later," said Ginny.

_**Lights clicked on upstairs and to her horror Leo realised that the big squashy something had been her uncle's face.**_

"Woohoo! Go Leo!" cheered Sirius.

"That was awesome!" said Fred and George, grinning at Leo.

"I can't believe you stepped on your uncle's face," sniggered Ron.

"Yeah, it wasn't one of my best moments," said Leo.

"What are you talking about?" asked Draco.

"That was brilliant!" said Blaise.

_**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Leo didn't do exactly what she'd been trying to do. He shouted at Leo for about half an hour, after giving her a hit for stepping on him,**_

There was a moment of silence in the room.

"Leo…"started Sirius.

"Why didn't you say anything?" interrupted Ron.

"And what would you have done?" asked Leo.

"We would have gotten you out of there," said Hermione.

"You could have come and stayed with us," said Draco.

"Or us," said Blaise.

"Or us," said Ginny, Fred and George.

Leo smiled at all her friends, her eyes misting over at their words.

"Don't worry Leo, I get first dibs cause I'm your godfather," said Sirius into her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine.

_**And then told her to go and make a cup of tea. Leo limped miserably off into the kitchen, and by the time she got back, the post had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Leo could see three letters addressed in green ink.**_

"You know green is my favourite colour," said Leo happily.

"What?" asked Remus.

"Traitor!" cried Sirius with mock sadness.

"Her hangings are green," said Ron with distaste.

"It's a real eyesore in the dorm," said Neville.

"But Seamus and Dean decided to change the colour of their hangings too, so now we have a lot of variety in the dorm," said Leo.

"Why do you sleep in the boy's dorm?" asked Narcissa.

"Two reasons," said Leo.

"One," started Hermione.

"Lavender Brown," said Ginny.

"She is an absolute bitch!" said Leo.

"And second reason," said the twins.

"Because she is too kind hearted," said Angelina.

"She moved to the boys dorms so Eloise Midgeon could come to Hogwarts," said Alicia

"Her mother wasn't going to let her sleep in the boys dorms," said Katie.

"Aww, you are so sweet," said Molly, her eyes misting over.

"It didn't take her that long to convince Professor Dumbledore to allow her to move," said Percy suddenly.

"Why?" asked Sirius, suspiciously.

"Because I think that he wanted me to move in with them, for some random reason," said Leo, "He looked expectant when I brought it up. I thought that if I hadn't then he would have,"

"Bloody manipulative bastard!" growled Remus.

"Highly improper!" said McGonagall, scandalised.

"Why?" Hermione.

"You knew that she was in the boys dorms," said Ginny.

"And everyone knows that the guys don't have a hope in hell with her," said Katie.

"How do you know that?" asked regulus.

"Seamus and Dean are gay, and Ron and Neville are like my brothers," said Leo.

"_**I want –" she began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before her eyes.**_

_**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the letter-box.**_

"Not going to help," said Luna

"_**See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't **__**deliver**__** them they'll just give up."**_

"Yeah right," scoffed Blaise.

"_**I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**_

"_**Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon,**_

"Thank God for that!" said Hermione.

"Imagine if we did," said Ginny.

"That thought is too horrible to even contemplate thinking about," said Draco.

_**Trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruit cake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**_

"The scary thing is that it actually worked said Leo, noticing that Snape was smirking.

_**On Friday, no fewer than twelve letters arrived for Leo. As they couldn't go through the letter-box they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs toilet.**_

"Eww," said Ginny.

"And I just missed them," said Leo, "Aunt Petunia was in there,"

"Way too much info there, Nora," said Fred and George.

"Don't call me that!" snapped Leo.

"Why?" asked Fred, grinning at her.

"Because I have blackmail over you," said Leo, smirking evilly. The twins paled drastically.

_**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**_

"He's lost it," said Sirius.

"And you would know all about that, wouldn't you Sirius," said Andromeda, smirking.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Sirius.

"It's not like you can talk," pointed out Regulus.

"Neither can you," said Narcissa.

"What are you talking about?" asked Neville.

"All the Blacks are partially insane. Bella more so than others," said Narcissa.

"Cissa is the only one who isn't," said Andromeda.

"Well, then we can be sure that Sirius has always been immature," said Leo, grinning up at her Godfather.

"And prone to seizures," smirked Remus.

"I have never had a seizure!" protested Sirius.

"Then what do you call what happened when James told you that Lily had agreed to go out with him?" asked Remus.

"He fainted," suggested Regulus. Sirius glared at him and Leo, as the young girl giggled madly.

_**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Leo found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living-room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food mixer.**_

"What is a food mixer?" asked Draco.

Hermione'll explain it later," said Ginny.

"Ginny!" protested Hermione.

"Please Hermione?" begged Leo, her eyes going wide. Sirius found himself drowning in the green depths of her eyes, and wondered why he had never noticed before how different they were from Lily's.

"_**Who on earth wants to talk to **__**you**__** this badly?" Dudley asked Leo in amazement.**_

"_**Everyone who doesn't want to talk to you!" snapped Leo, wondering how she was going to get a letter.**_

"What a lovely response, dear Leonora," said George with a posh accent.

"A most fitting reply," said Fred in the same tone. There was silence for a moment, before everyone started to snicker, excluding Percy and Snape.

_**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.**_

"Why?" asked Blaise.

"You'll see," said Leo.

"_**No post on Sundays," he reminded them happily as he spread marmalade on his newspapers,**_

"Bloody bonkers," muttered Regulus.

"James used to do that," said Sirius suddenly.

"Really?" asked Leo.

"Why?" asked Alicia.

"He always used to have a lot on his mind," said Remus.

"Studies, wooing Lily, Quidditch, wooing lily, pranks, wooing lily, homework wooing lily," listed Sirius.

"So my mum was on his mind a lot?" asked Leo.

"All the time!" grumbled Sirius, "He never used to shut up about her,"

"_**No damn letters today –"**_

"Why?" asked Blaise.

"Because Sundays is the Muggle day of rest," said Hermione.

_**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head.**_

There were several sniggers at this.

_**Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys ducked, but Leo leapt into the air trying to catch one –**_

"Why didn't you just pick one off the floor?" asked Lucius, interrupting himself.

"The book never specified if they fell on the floor," said Leo.

"Did they?" asked Draco.

"Yes," said Leo.

"So why didn't you pick one off the floor?" asked Draco.

"It's the traits of the houses. A Slytherin would have picked it off the floor, a Ravenclaw would have read it in the hall, a Hufflepuff would have taken one when no one was looking, and a Gryffindor would have tried to get one out of the air," said McGonagall.

"So, now you know how I got into Gryffindor," said Leo.

"I still think you're a closet slytherin," grumbled Draco.

"We agree!" said Fred and George.

"_**Out! OUT!"**_

_**Uncle Vernon seized Leo around the waist and threw her into the hall, causing Leo to hit her head against the dresser. She staggered up, feeling a little dizzy.**_

"That son of a…" snarled Sirius, before degenerating into another language. He was joined by his brother, who was speaking French.

Leo let the two brothers and several others continue their tirade for several minutes, before silencing them.

"Alright people, I know your mad, but could I point out that I was the one that experienced all of this, and I'm not going on about it, so neither should you" she snapped. There was a moment of silence before Lucius started to read again.

_**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**_

"Like a waterfall," murmured Hermione.

"_**That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his moustache at the same time.**_

"Yay! Now he can look like an idiot too!" said Fred with mock excitement, while his more emotional twin glared at the book.

"What are you talking about, Fred?" said George, "He's always looked like an idiot!"

"I couldn't have said it better," grinned Leo.

"_**I want you all back here in five minutes, ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"**_

"Argue! Argue!" chanted Ginny, Ron, Charlie and the twins.

"No, he never listens" sighed Leo.

_**He looked so dangerous with half his moustache missing that no one dared argue.**_

"Like that one time when mum screamed at you half dressed," sniggered regulus.

"That was a disturbing sight," mumbled Sirius.

"Eh?" asked Ron.

"She was only had the bottom half of her clothes on when she found that I had turned all of her tops a bright shade of pink," said Sirius.

"So she came out to yell at Sirius half dressed, and only realised after dad intervened," said Regulus.

'"One of the more awkward moments of my life," said Sirius.

"Moments?" asked Leo.

"Well, there was the time that I walked in on James and Lily, and this other time I walked in on Bella and Lestrange, and the other time when we were visiting the girls, and Reggie and I walked in on Cissa and Malfoy," said Sirius.

"Shut up Sirius," said Narcissa, going a pink, while Lucius feigned deafness, and Draco went green.

" He always walks in on people," said Regulus.

"It's like he has a sixth sense," said Andromeda.

"And the worst part is that he always drags other innocent people into it," grumbled Remus.

"What did he do to you?" asked Ginny.

Ï was the one dragged along when he walked in on your parents," said Remus.

"Why don't we move…wait! My parents?" asked Ginny.

"Yes" sighed Sirius, going as red as a tomato.

"Well, aren't you the peeping Tom," sniggered Leo.

"Oh shut up!" growled Sirius, as everyone sniggered.

_**Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding towards the motorway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, video and computer in his sports bag.**_

"Finally, someone hits the brat!" snapped Andromeda, sneering at the book in her brother in laws hands.

"It was one of the best moments of my life," said Leo, smiling dreamily.

_**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turning and drive in the opposite direction for a while.**_

"_**Shake 'em off … shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**_

"Wow, he's even more paranoid than Mad-eye!" said Tonks.

"I don't think that's possible," said Kingsley seriously.

"Keep reading!" growled Mad-eye.

_**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programmes he'd wanted to see and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**_

"Poor baby," cooed Ginny mockingly.

"Welcome to Leo's world," said Blaise. Leo giggled madly, and everyone smiled at the sound of her laughter.

_**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Leo shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Leo stayed awake, sitting on the window-sill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering …**_

"Wondering what?" asked Draco.

"I can't remember," admitted Leo.

_**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast next day.**_

"That is not Breakfast!" hissed Mrs Weasley, and several of the other women nodded in agreement.

_**They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.**_

"'_**Scuse me, but is one of you Ms L. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."**_

"Wow, Hagrid must have been going all out," said Angelina, whistling under her breath.

"I thought it was rather funny and creepy," said Leo.

"No kidding," said Tonks, her hair a bubble gum pink, although it looked like it had red streaks.

_**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**_

_**Ms L. Potter**_

_**Room 17**_

_**Railview Hotel**_

_**Cokeworth**_

_**Leo made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked her hand out of the way. The woman stared.**_

"Don't stare, do something!" snapped Sirius.

"It's fine Sirius," said Leo soothingly. Sirius looked down, had to struggle to keep his eyes on her face. It didn't help that Leo looked older than her 15 years.

"_**I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining-room.**_

"They're not yours, you fat walrus!" snarled Hermione.

"Walrus?" asked Draco, raising a condescending (so he hoped) eyebrow at her (in reality he was more amused than anything else).

"He is!" snapped Ginny.

"_**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her.**_

"Scary," mumbled Leo.

_**Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a ploughed field, halfway across a suspension bridge and at the top of a multi-storey car park.**_

"Watch it Dursley!" growled, surprisingly, Regulus.

"If you even think about hurting my lion girl, I'll gut you slowly!" added Sirius, smirking sadistically. He looked down to find Leo beaming at him. She was incredibly happy that he had called her 'his'.

"_**Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**_

"See, even your son recognises it!" snapped Alicia.

"And when his son notices it," said George.

"You can be sure that he really is mad," added Fred,

_**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car and disappeared.**_

_**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled.**_

"_**It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a **__**television.**__**"**_

"Not gonna happen!" giggled Hermione.

_**Monday. This reminded Leo of something. If it was Monday – and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days of the week, because of television – then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Leo's eleventh birthday.**_

"Happy birthday!" cheered most of the room.

"You know that it isn't my birthday right!" said Leo.

"Yeah, but we can still say it," said Percy stiffly.

"Aww Perce, I didn't know you cared," cooed Leo. She giggled when he blushed and looked away.

_**Of course, her birthdays were never exactly fun – last year, the Dursleys had given her a coat-hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. That had been it for the day. No food or anything. Still, you weren't eleven every day.**_

"Oh Merlin Leo, I'm so sorry," said Sirius, pulling her into a hug, and burying his face in her hair. She twisted in his lap until she faced. Him.

"Sirius, look at me," she said, holding his face in her hands, "It is not your fault!"

"I shouldn't have gone after Peter," said Sirius.

"It's not your fault!" said Leo sharply, looking into his eyes.

"We're all to blame Leo," said Remus, looking agonised.

"We should have come and checked up on you," said McGonagall.

"It doesn't matter!" said Leo, "It happened a long time ago, and you can't change it!"

"Time!" said Regulus suddenly, his face lighting up like a light bulb.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sirius.

"I'm going back in time, so I can change all of this," said Regulus, as if talking to a five year old.

"Ohhh," said several people in understanding.

"But first you have to not die," said Leo jokingly.

"Don't you worry about that," said Regulus, a determined glint coming into his eyes.

_**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**_

At this Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"_**Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"**_

_**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out to sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there.**_

"He didn't," growled Remus.

"He didn't?" said Leo weakly when he turned to look at her, frightened by the amber glint in his eyes. It was times like this that Leo saw the Wolfe in him.

"_**Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**_

_**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowing boat bobbing in the iron-grey water below them.**_

"That cruel bastard!" growled Sirius, "I'm gonna kill him!"

"Get in line padfoot!" said Remus.

"_**I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**_

_**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.**_

_**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.**_

"And who wants to bet that Leo doesn't get either one," growled Ron angrily.

"Hey, that's not fair!" said Leo, "I did get one,"

Ron just raised his eyebrow at her, mirrored eerily by Draco.

_**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a packet of crisps each and four bananas. He tried to start a fire but the empty crisp packets just smoked and shrivelled up.**_

"That is disgusting," said Blaise, "you need more than that,"

"What do you mean?" asked Leo in confusion.

"Have you seen how much you eat?" asked Draco.

"It's not that much!" said Leo defensively.

"Sure Leo," said Ginny.

"_**Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.**_

"How dare he!" snarled George.

"He is a disgusting animal," said Ginny, smirking vindictively, her eyes glazing over as she pictured what she could do to Leo's uncle.

_**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver post. Leo privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer her up at all.**_

"You are so pessimistic," said Ron.

"I am not!" said Leo defensively.

"Yes you are," said Hermione.

"Good," grunted Mad-eye, "Always plan for the worst. That way you're always prepared,"

_**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few mouldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door and Leo was left to find the softest bit of floor she could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket, which she used for a pillow, seeing as it wasn't **_**that **_**cold.**_

"Oh Leo," said Hermione, pulling her best friend into a hug.

"Uhh, Hermione, I really need to breathe!" gasped Leo. Hermione released her, but sniffled slightly.

"Merlin Leo," said Ron, running a hand through his hair. Sirius pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms tight around her. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the sweet scent.

_**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Leo couldn't sleep. She shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, her stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Leo she'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. She lay and watched her birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter-writer was now.**_

_**Five minutes to go. Leo heard something creak outside. She hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although she might be warmer if it did. Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that she'd be able to steal one somehow.**_

"See, I'm optimistic," said Leo.

"Very rarely," said Draco.

"And usually at the worst moments," said Ron.

_**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?**_

Several people frowned at this.

"Merlin, I hope not," said Sirius under his breath.

_**One minute to go and she'd be eleven. Thirty seconds … twenty … ten – nine – maybe she'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him**_

"Do it! Do it!" chanted the twins and Ginny.

– _**Three – two – one –**_

_**BOOM.**_

"Aww!" whined Sirius, "You didn't yell it!"

"That's because Black, I have more dignity than you," said Lucius coolly, his eyes glinting.

_**The whole shack shivered and Leo sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**_

"Who?" asked Regulus.

"Wait and see," Leo.

"You are no fun," said Regulus.

"I am soo fun!" protested Leo, straining against her godfather, "Siri, let go of me!"

"No," said Sirius, "You're staying here," he said, wanting an excuse to hold her close.

"So what's the next chapter?" asked Alicia.

"The Keeper of Keys," read Lucius.

"Woohoo!" cheered Sirius, right into Leo's ear.

"Oi! Sirius!" protested Leo, rubbing her ear.

"Sorry," said Sirius.

"So, who's reading next?" asked Hermione.

"Snape," said Leo distastefully.

The man in question gingerly took the book from his friend.

"The Keeper of Keys,"

**Hello all my lovely readers!**

**This chapter is a little funny cause there were times that I forgot about some characters, so if you want, please send me a review.**

**By the way, there is vote thingy on who I'll introduce next. Just put it in your review. There is a choice of…**

**Ted Tonks**

**One of Leo's kids (read the epilogue in DH)**

**Young Bella**

**Blaise's mum**

**Thanks,**

**Arana'a**


	6. sorry, AN

**Hey every one! Sorry for this, but it's just an authors note.**

**I wanted to say that I've been hearing rumors about Reading the Books fanfics being deleted, and I've decided to put up a blog with the Leonora story, incase it got deleted. I'm still doing it here on Fanfiction, but I'll also be doing the blog. The website is on my profile, at the bottom, so don't worry.**

**By the way, I've had the Story about Sirius leaving home up for about a month, but no-one has reviewed or anything! Please send me a review!**

**Also, thanks to all the reviewers of Leonora potter! And thanks for the suggestions too, they're really useful for inspiration! Please continue to send in your ideas! Thanks especially to bloomnskyrules, anon and number1stefanfan for their ideas, which I will be using.**

**Well, the next chapter will be up in a bit, so**

**Bye!**

**Arana'a**


	7. The Keeper of Keys

**hello! **

**here's the promised chapter, so don't get angry.**

**i have taken your suggestions into account, and i wanna also thank my freind Megan, who is a great support! i love you megan, (if your reading)**

**disclaimer: well, it's still not mine, but i claim all personalities!**

Snape gingerly took the book from his friend. Before he could open it, however, another figure fell onto the table, once again landing on the pile of cushions that had magically appeared.

"Hello," said Leo tentatively, slowly standing up. The figure sat up so fast that she jumped back in surprise and landed on Sirius.

"Mum?" asked the figure, turning their head to the side. He spotted Leo on Sirius's lap, ad went white.

"Uhh, hi mum," stammered the figure, "I swear, this isn't what it looks like!"

"Are you talking to me?" asked Leo, her voice going up an octave or two.

"Uhh, yeah," said the boy.

"Mum?" squeaked Leo.

"Yeah," said the boy, frowning. With that, Leo's eyes rolled back in her head and she fell back in a dead faint. Sirius really didn't notice, because he was too busy staring at the James Potter look-alike.

"Are you really Leo's kid?" asked Hermione.

"Uhh yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked turning to her, frowning in confusion.

"How old are you?" she asked.

"16 in June," he said, shrugging slightly.

Just then, another letter fell, on top of the boy, and he picked it up.

"It's for mum," said the boy.

"Oi, Leo, wake up," said Ron, poking her. She didn't move. Blaise then tried dousing her with cold water, and unfortunately soaked Sirius.

Sirius jumped up with a yell, accidently dropping Leo. She woke with a start and accidently hit her head against Sirius's, who had been bending down to help her. They both recoiled, clutching sore heads, while most people sniggered.

"Ha-ha, still clumsy," sniggered the boy.

"What does that mean?" asked Ron.

"She's as clumsy as hell," he sniggered.

"Hold up!" said Leo, "I'm your future mother?" she turned to the boy.

"Yes," he said, suspiciously.

"Then mind you language, and don't laugh at me," she snapped, glaring at him.

"Yes mum," he squeaked, shrinking back slightly.

"You know kid, I feel really sorry for you," said Draco, shaking his head.

"And we all feel sorry for you Uncle Draco," said the Boy.

"Why?" asked Draco.

"You'll see," he said mysteriously, "Here you go. It's for you," he held out the letter to Leo.

The letter opened once it was in her hands and started to speak.

"Dear Leo and People,

"Sorry about the early arrival, but _some people_ can't follow instructions. This is James Sirius, Leo's son. He's a bit snarky, but he's alright…

"Gee, thanks," said James sarcastically.

"Shut up James. Anyway. He will be joining you in reading. Please don't hex him, or I might get my license revoked.

"Wouldn't that be a tragedy," said James snidely.

"Shut up James! Now please don't ask him anything unneeded, and don't pester him, cause there are some things that you can't know till later. James, I have included a list of things that you are _not_ supposed to say. Read it through or I will incinerate your broom and strand you here during the next Quidditch game!

Sincerely,

Teddy"

With this, the letter ripped itself up.

Everyone turned to James, who was muttering under his breath about unfair people who blackmailed poor innocent 16 year olds.

"I'm sure you are innocent," said Leo.

"I am!" protested James, "Mostly,"

"It's the mostly that catches you out," said Hermione.

"I try," said James grinning roguishly.

"Hey," said Ron, as a thought hit him, "who's your dad?"

Leo froze, looking at James.

"I can't say," said James.

"What?" asked Leo.

"I can't say. It's one of the things that you have to find out on your own," said James, "Can i see the list Teddy wrote for me. If I get anything wrong, he might have a hissy fit and actually do what he threatened,"

Another letter landed, and James opened it.

"I was deadly serious when i threatened you James. And i do not throw hissy fits!" said the letter.

"Just ignore him," said James, reading through the really long list that teddy had written for him, "At least he colour coded things," he mumbled.

"So can we read now, so Leo doesn't have a panic attack about who she might end up married to?" asked Hermione.

"Sure," said James, and looked around expectantly.

Snape opened the book again, and started to read

"The keeper of keys," he read

**BOOM.**

"Aww, you didn't yell it!" complained Sirius and James.

"That's because I have more dignity than you," replied Snape icily.

"That or he has a really long stick up his…" started Hermione, before being interrupted by Mrs Weasley.

"Hermione!" said Mrs Weasley horrified, "Do not finish that sentence!"

"But every one knows what I meant," mumbled Hermione, while she glared at a sniggering Ron and Leo.

"Wow Aunt Mya, I didn't know you knew how to swear," said James. Hermione smiled at him.

**They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.**

"**Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.**

"Like there was any other way to put it," said Draco absently, still staring at Hermione in shock.

"What are you staring at me for?" asked Hermione irritably.

"I have never heard you use that kind of language granger," said Draco.

"That's cause if you did, I would have detention with a teacher for it, because you are one hell of a tattle tale," said Hermione.

"Am not!" protested Draco.

"Are too!" said Hermione.

They continued back and forth like this before an incredibly annoyed Snape stopped them.

"Will you two shut up!" he roared.

"Sorry," they said, cowering in their seats.

James smirked at them.

"James," said Leo.

"Yeah," he answered, looking at her.

"Why don't you get off the table, and come and sit next to me," suggested Leo.

"Sure," James hopped of the table, and plonked himself next to Leo on the floor.

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands – now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

"How dare he, that…" said Ginny, before continuing in a mumble under her breath.

"He should be arrested!" said Hermione hotly.

"And I wish he had been," said Leo.

"**Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you – I'm armed!"**

"We al have arms, you idiot!" said Fred, smirking.

"And we al have legs too!" finished George.

"And we also have brains, something you seem to be lacking," said James.

"You guys are really good," said Sirius, after he had stopped laughing.

"We know," they said in unison.

"Do not encourage them," growled Snape, glaring at the twins. They simple smiled angelically, and ignored him.

**There was a pause. Then –**

**SMASH!**

"You were alright, weren't you Leo," said Remus worriedly, quickly looking Leo over for any scars.

"Yes, Uncle Moony, I was fine," said Leo exasperatedly, although inside she was smirking in anticipation for his reaction.

"Wait! Uncle moony?" asked Remus in surprise, staring at her.

"Didn't you hear?" asked Leo, "I adopted you as my uncle,"

"When?" he asked.

"About a few chapters back," said Leo. Remus continued to stare at her with a very good goldfish impersonation, while Sirius laughed heartily, and James sniggered at him.

"Just wait till he becomes a dad," whispered James to Leo.

"When does that happen?" she asked.

"You'll see.

Remus continued to stare at Leo, while Snape continued, feeling a funny pang in his chest.

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.**

"Awesome!" whispered the twins.

**A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.**

"Hagrid is not a giant!" said McGonagall reprovingly.

"I know, but he looked like one, being really tall and all that," mumbled Leo.

"You know mum, your actually the shortest in the family," said James, "Even Reggie is taller than you,"

"Reggie?" asked Sirius.

"My little brother," said James, "He used to be a right midget, until we compared him to mum," said James, expertly dodging a hit from Leo.

"Oh yeah," sniggered Ron, "I forgot that you used to be a real midget back then,"

"I was not a midget!" protested Leo.

"Yes you were," said Draco and Hermione. They then proceeded to glare at each other.

"I was just a little but shorter than you guys," said Leo.

"Don't worry Leo, your mum and dad were midgets too," said Sirius consolingly. Leo turned around and glared at him.

"What?" he asked, raising his hands.

"You are not helping," growled Leo.

"Why don't we move on, and prove that Leo was and still is a midget later," suggested Charlie.

"I am not a midget!" said Leo heatedly.

"Your probably the shortest in the room," Bill pointed out.

"I am not a midget," said Leo stubbornly.

"Leave it," sighed Blaise, "you can argue till your blue in the face, and she will still disagree,"

"Fine," said Sirius, ignoring Leo's glare.

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.**

"**Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey …"**

"Typical Hagrid," laughed Bill.

"He tells great stories," said James, "Especially about the war,"

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

"**Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

"And it didn't even hide him," said Leo, smirking.

"That is disgusting," said Angelina.

"The brat is even bigger than his father," said Tonks, shaking her head.

"He needs a lesson," said Andromeda quietly. Her daughter and Draco shuddered, knowing exactly what kind of lesson Andromeda was talking about.

"**An' here's Leonora!" said the giant.**

**Leo looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

"Hagrid's always smiling," said Leo wistfully.

"And always telling you things he really shouldn't be," said Hermione, grinning.

"And he still says you three were the worst lot he ever had to deal with," said James, grinning at his mother and her two first friends.

"**Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."**

"Actually, her eyes are darker than her mums," said Sirius suddenly.

"How do you know?" asked Leo.

"You know.. I um..Just noticed it," mumbled Sirius, blushing.

"Really?" asked Regulus, smirking at his brother. He caught James eye, and was surprised to see him smirking at his mother as well.

"Go away Reggie!" growled Sirius.

"Nice of you to notice Siri," said Leo, smiling up at him.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

"**I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"**

"Literally," giggled Katie.

"**Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant. He reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.**

"I love Hagrid," whispered Alicia after a moment.

"How did he do that?" asked Ginny.

"He's a half giant," said Ron, as if that explained everything.

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

"That is a really lovely sound," said Sirius, grinning evilly.

"**Anyway – Leo," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here – I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

"Don't eat it!" cried everyone worriedly.

"Don't worry," said Leo, smiling.

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Leo opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with **_**Happy Birthday Leo**_** written on it in green icing.**

"Thank heaven, the house elfes made it," said Sirius, relaxing, "for a moment there, I was worried that he might have poisoned you,"

"Any one with sense doesn't eat whatever Hagrid makes. No one touches the food on his table unless they wish to get out of doing something," said Leo cheerfully.

"Is that why you always seem to be in the hospital wing during tests?" asked McGonagall suspiciously.

"Well, it depends," said Leo.

"Sometimes, if it's the end of the year, she's exhausted herself protecting the school," said Ron thoughtfully.

"And sometimes it's just Hagrid," said Hermione, sniffing.

"And sometimes it's Hagrid's cooking," said Leo happily.

"And sometimes it's parties," said James, "Scorpio throws awesome parties,"

"Who's Scorpio?" asked Draco.

"Your son," said James, looking delighted when Draco started to impersonate a fish.

**Leo looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to her mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"**

"Manners," said Narcissa reprovingly.

"I was in shock," mumbled Leo, blushing slightly.

"And you yell at me!" said James indignantly.

"Well, I have good reason," said Leo.

**The giant chuckled.**

"**True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."**

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Leo's whole arm.**

"It feels like that doesn't it?" said Sirius, chuckling.

"**What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say noter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."**

"What?" hissed Molly dangerously.

"Don't worry Mrs Weasley, Hagrid knows not to drink in front of firsties," said Hermione.

"Or in front of teachers," murmured Leo to Ron.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shrivelled crisp packets in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Leo felt the warmth wash over her as though she'd sunk into a hot bath.**

"One of the best feelings ever," said Draco, sighing happily.

"And the prefects bathrooms are the best for it," said Leo.

"You've never been to the prefect bathrooms," said Hermione.

"Yeah I have!" said Leo, "In fourth year, when I was solving the egg clue, and I went a couple of times in fifth year after Draco told me the password,"

"Why did you tell her the password?" snapped Hermione, rounding on Draco.

"I was blackmailed," mumbled Draco, glaring at a smirking Leo.

"You know Leo, you really are a closet Slytherin," said Ron, grinning at Leo.

"And Draco is a closet Hufflepuff," said Blaise.

"Am not!" protested Draco.

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs and a bottle of some amber liquid which he took a swig from before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker,**

At this, Ron and Sirius groaned slightly, wistful looks growing on their faces. They were joined by Charlie, Bill Draco and James.

"We just ate!" snapped Hermione.

"No we didn't," said Leo.

"Didn't we?" asked Hermione, frowning slightly.

"We can eat after this chapter," said Ginny.

"Why not now?" whined Sirius.

"Because we have to finish the chapter," said Remus.

"But moony!" whined Sirius, turning his puppy dog eyes on his friend.

"No!" said Remus.

"How do you do that?" asked Tonks.

"Do what?" asked Remus.

"Withstand the puppy dog eyes," said Tonks.

"Years and years of living with Sirius, and watching him perfect them," said Remus.

**Dudley fidgeted a little.**

"You're not getting anything, you fat pig," said Angelina.

**Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley"**

"You don't need any more fattening," said Katie snidely.

**The giant chuckled darkly.**

"**Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' any more, Dursley, don' worry"**

"Weird," mumbled Katie, while Alicia and Angelina grinned at their friend.

**He passed the sausages to Leo, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take her eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."**

"What happened to you manners Potter?" asked Snape, "Did you lose them in London?"

"No, they died in you class from all the sarcasm," said Leo, not missing a beat. Everyone snickered at the stunned look on Snape's face.

"Burn," whispered James.

"Ooh! You got burned!" snickered Draco. Snape turned to glare at him, and he instantly shut up.

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.**

"**Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts – yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."**

"**Err – no," said Leo.**

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

"He should be!" muttered Sirius.

"**Sorry" Leo said quickly.**

"Why are you apologising?" asked Remus, "You didn't do anything,"

"Have you _seen _Hagrid angry?" asked Leo pointedly.

"Good point," said Ron.

"_**Sorry?"**_** barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?"**

"**All what?" asked Leo.**

"**ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"**

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.**

"Cower, insignificant mortals," shrieked Hermione madly.

"She's finally lost it," said Leo quietly to Ron.

"What are you talking about, she never had it," he replied.

"And she'll never get it," said James sadly.

"**Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this girl – this girl! – knows nothin' abou' – about ANYTHING?"**

"That's just rude," said Blaise.

**Leo thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and her marks weren't bad.**

"**I know **_**some**_** things," he said. "I can, you know, do maths and stuff."**

"And stuff meaning setting giant Boa's on you cousin," snickered Tonks.

"You did that?" asked James.

"Yeah," said Leo.

"But you grounded me when I did that!" pouted James.

"You're a parselmouth to?" asked Leo.

"Yeah!" said James.

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About **_**our**_** world, I mean. **_**Your**_** world. **_**My**_** world. **_**Yer parents' world**_**."**

"What world?" asked Leo, "There's another world out there?"

"Yeah, the one that Sirius resides in," said Remus, "He's in it alone because his ego takes up so much room,"

"Oi!"

"**What world?"**

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

"**DURSLEY!" he boomed.**

"Duck and cover!" screamed Hermione, and several people edged away, while Ron and Leo dove for the floor.

"Why are you on the floor?" asked Andromeda.

"Reflex," said Leo sheepishly.

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble". Hagrid stared wildly at Leo**

"**But yeh must know about yer mum and dad," he said. "I mean, they're **_**famous. You're**_** famous."**

"**What? My – my mum and dad weren't famous, were they?"**

"Your famous too," said Draco.

"And how I know it," sighed Leo dejectedly.

"We've got special wards against the paparazzi," grinned James.

"**Yeh don' know … yeh don' know …" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Leo with a bewildered stare.**

"**Yeh don' know what yeh **_**are**_**?" he said finally.**

"Now I'm a different species," said Leo.

"Well, you could be," said Ginny.

"There isn't anyone like you," said Blaise.

"I'm just unique," said Leo, flipping her hair.

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

"**Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the girl anything!"**

"You and what army?" asked Andromeda snarkily.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

"**You never told her? Never told her what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer her? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from her all these years?"**

"Sacrilegious fools…stopping Leo…how they dare…die very slowly…" Hermione muttered under her breath, sounding deranged.

"When did she lose it?" asked Draco timidly.

"After she became friends with Leo," said Ron.

"**Kept **_**what**_** from me?" said Leo eagerly.**

"**STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.**

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

"Drama queen," sniffed Narcissa. Draco and Lucius turned to stare at her, thinking that she was being a little hypocritical.

"**Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Leo – yer a witch."**

"That's how you found out?" asked Alicia.

"Typical Hagrid Bluntness," said Angelina, smiling slightly. George stared at her, only catching himself after Fred jabbed him in the ribs.

"Stop mooning at her. If you like her, go and say something," he muttered.

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.**

"**I'm a **_**what?**_**" gasped Leo. People had called her a lot of things, but a witch had never been one of them.**

"**A witch, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? an' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

"Insert me thinking that he's lost his marbles," said Leo.

**Leo stretched out her hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to **_**Ms L. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea.**_**She pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

"Pretentious old fool," sniffed Lucius snobbily.

"I think he does it in the hope it might give him more power over people," said Leo.

Everyone turned to stare at her.

"What? Did you think she wasn't opinionated?" asked James snarkily.

**Dear Ms Potter,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Deputy Headmistress**

**Questions exploded inside Leo's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first.**

"Run! Run! Before she drowns you with questions!" yelled Neville.

"Shut up!" said Leo, going pink.

**After a few minutes she stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

"That's you first question?" asked Regulus, raising an eyebrow at the bushing girl.

"It was the last thing I read," mumbled Leo.

"**Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl – a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl**

"That poor owl," said Ginny.

– **A long quill and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note which Leo could read upside-down:**

"You little miracle worker," said Ron,

"How do you do that?" asked Hermione, "His writing is barely legible right way round,"

"I dunno," said Leo shrugging, while many looked at her with a mixture of shock and awe.

"I can do it too," said James.

**Dear Mr Dumbledore,**

**Given Leo her her to buy her things tomorrow. Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.**

**Hagrid**

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as al as talking on the telephone.**

**Leo realised her mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

"**Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

"**She's not going," he said.**

"Yes she is," sang Sirius, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Tonks.

**Hagrid grunted.**

"**I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop her," he said.**

"**A what?" said Leo, interested.**

"New things," said Leo happily.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Snape, looking unnerved.

"Leo has a curiosity the size of Mt Everest. She loves to learn new things," explained Hermione.

"And why do you not display this in class," he asked silkily.

"Because of your annoying favouritism," said Ron.

"**A Muggle," said Hagrid. "It's what we call non-magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."**

"Literally," said Leo, and everyone sniggered.

"**We swore when we took her in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of her! **

At this, there was a deafening silence. James put his arms around his mother.

**Witch, indeed!"**

"**You **_**knew**_**?" said Leo. "You **_**knew**_** I'm a – a witch?"**

"**Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly."**_**Knew!**_** Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was?**

"My aunt is so dramatic," sniffed Leo.

"And so is Reggie," said James, "but I think he gets it from dad,"

At this, several people perked up, and tried to think of who it could be. No one noticed a very mopey Sirius Black.

**Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that – that **_**school**_** – and came home every holiday with her pockets full of frog-spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was – a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"**

"Who wouldn't be?" asked Hermione.

"My relatives," said Leo.

"But they don't have brains, so I don't think they count," said Sirius.

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.**

"She probably did," said Leo sadly.

"**Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as – as – **_**abnormal**_** – and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

"That's how you found out?" asked Mrs Weasley, shocked.

"Uhh, yeah," said Leo.

**Leo had gone very white. As soon as he found her voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

"**CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Leo Potter not knowin' her own story when every kid in our world knows her name!"**

"Remember Colin," sniggered Hermione.

"That was one of the worst years of my life," said Leo.

"Are you talking about Colin Creevey?" asked James.

"Yeah," said Ron.

"He's a famous photographer, and his little brother is a journalist. They work together on articles about mum," said James.

"About me!" whined Leo.

"Yep. They also do stuff on defence, and the war, but they mostly mention you," said James.

"**But why? What happened?" Leo asked urgently.**

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

"Who wouldn't?" mumbled Sirius. Leo looked up at him for a moment, before climbing up to sit next to him.

"**I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Leo, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh – but someone's gotta – yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."**

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.**

"**Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh – mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it …"**

"Yeah, parts of it," said Leo.

Sirius put his arm around her, and ignored his smirking brother.

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with – with a person called – but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows –"**

"**Who?"**

"You know who!" sang all the teenagers.

"Who?" asked James.

"You know, Voldemort," said Leo.

"So why didn't you say so?" asked James, "You always say his name,"

"And she never stops using it," said Blaise.

"It's like she gets some kind of sadistic pleasure out of using it," said Ron.

"You use it too Uncle Ron," said James.

"See! She's rubbed off on me!" said Ron.

"**Well – I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

"**Why not?"**

"**Gulpin' gargoyles, Leo, people are still scared. Blimey this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went … bad.**

"That's a bit of an understatement," said Mad-eye.

**As bad as you could .Worse than worse. His name was …"**

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

"You'll never get Hagrid to say it," said Kingsley.

"Wanna bet?" asked Hermione.

"**Could you write it down?" Leo suggested.**

"**Nah – can't spell it. All right – **_**Voldemort."**_

There were several looks of shock directed at Leo.

"See, she does the impossible on a day to day basis," said Neville.

**Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this – this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too – some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Leo. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches … Terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him – an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.**

"Thank heavens," said McGonagall.

"Don't worry, he didn't succeed," said James.

"He tried to?" asked Remus.

"Yeah," said James.

"**Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head Boy an' Girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before … probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.**

"Of course they didn't. Not after all the things he did!" said Sirius.

"**Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em … maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Hallowe'en ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' – an' –"**

There was silence at this. Sirius pulled Leo close, and buried his face in her hair, while everyone tried to overcome their emotions.

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

"He always sounds like that," said Bill, trying to lighten the mood. He received several weak smiles.

"**Sorry" he said. "But it's that sad – knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find – anyway –**

"**You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then – an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing – he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then.**

"Well, he does now," said Leo.

"How do you know?" asked Tonks.

"The benefits of having a mental connection with Voldemort," said Leo.

"At least that's gone," said James, "could you imagine what would happen if she still had it!" he was starting to sound hysterical by this point.

"James, calm down," said Leo, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down! Calm down?" shrieked James, "How can I calm down at a time like this!"

"I don't think his brother is the only dramatic one," murmured Remus.

"James! You will shut up and sit down, and take deep breaths until you calm down, or so help me, I'll…" started Leo, but never got to finish, as James had put his hand over her mouth.

"Shhh! Do want mum to hear?" asked James.

"I am your mother you nitwit!" snapped Leo, pulling his hand off her mouth.

"Oh, right," said James sheepishly, "You looked so much like lily for a moment, that I forgot,"

"Lily?" asked Sirius.

"My little sister. She's 13 now," said James.

"Three children?" said Leo faintly, sitting down.

"Five actually, but who's counting," said James happily.

At this Leo let out a squeaking sound, and started to impersonate a goldfish.

"Why don't we move on and give Leo a chance to calm down," suggested Hermione

**But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh – took care of yer mum an' dad**

Here Remus and Sirius let out faint whines, and Leo, finally pulled out of her shocked stupor, immediately wrapped her arms around Sirius, while Tonks did the same for Remus.

**An' yer house, even – but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Leo. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age – the McKinnons,**

"You know, Marlene was one of our best friends," mumbled Sirius.

"So was little Jack," said Remus.

**The Bones,**

"Jessica was Susan's mum," said Angelica.

**The Prewetts**

Here molly let out a choked sob, and Arthur put his arms around her. There were pained looks on many faces.

"Gideon and Fabien were really close to Molly," said Sirius quietly to Leo.

– **an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."**

**Something very painful was going on in Leo's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, she saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than she had ever remembered it before – and she remembered something else, for the first time in her life – a high, cold, cruel laugh.**

"You remember all that?" asked Arthur, shocked.

"That, and so much more. It's worse when you actually meet him he becomes clearer whenever I remember that night," said Leo dully, focusing on the wall.

**Hagrid was watching her sadly.**

"**Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot …"**

"**Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Leo jumped, she had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there.**

"So easy when there as mindless as they are," sneered Draco.

**Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.**

"How will that help him?" asked Luna.

"It didn't!" giggled Leo, the sound lighting up the room, at least for Sirius.

'_Her laugh sounds amazing_,' thought Sirius happily, _'no! Bad thoughts! You shouldn't think of her that way!'_

"**Now, you listen here, girl," he snarled. "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating**

Sirius growled and pulled Leo close.

"I'm so sorry Lion girl," whispered Sirius.

"It's not your fault!" murmured Leo back, sinking into his embrace.

Remus looked torn between joining in the hug, and giving the two of them their privacy. He wasn't stupid, and he had known Sirius since he was as high as a goblin. He knew that they had a thing for each other.

**Wouldn't have cured – and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion**

"Not much of an opinion," said Draco, not bothering to keep his voice down.

– **asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types – just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end –"**

"And you will too," said Blaise, smirking sadistically.

"And we'll help you get there," sniggered Ginny.

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley – I'm warning you – one more word …"**

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant,**

"Death by umbrella," giggled Hermione.

"Lovely mental image," said Alicia.

Leo giggled, and settled on Sirius' lap, completely missing the smirk her son was giving her.

**Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

"**That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.**

"It broke when Dudley got on it," said Leo.

"And Hagrid just finished off the process," said Fred and George.

**Leo, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

"**But what happened to Vol – sorry – I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

"You actually said You-Know Who?" asked Ron amazed.

"Back then" said Leo.

"So why did you stop?" asked Hermione.

"Cause I didn't see a need to call him you know who," said Leo, "I wasn't afraid of him, and I'm still not,"

"You get that recklessness from James," said Remus, "No sense of self preservation,"

"**Good question, Leo. . same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see … he was gettin' more an' more powerful – why'd he go?**

"Cause he's a stupid nutter who forgot to look at the whole picture," suggested James.

"I like," that, said Leo thoughtfully.

"**Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.**

"Well, he certainly doesn't look human," said Leo.

"And he doesn't sound human," said Hermione.

"So he probably isn't," said Ron, "Well, not any more at any rate,"

**Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back.**

"**Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Leo. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on – I dunno what it was, no one does – but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."**

"He makes me sound so special," mumbled Leo.

"You are Special," said Mrs Weasley firmly.

"How could you not be?" asked Remus, "Having done all the amazing things that you have,"

"It's enough to make anyone feel normal," said Tonks, wrinkling her nose.

"And that's a high complement, seeing as she isn't normal," said Charlie.

**Hagrid looked at Leo with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Leo, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A witch? Her? How could she possibly be?**

"How could you not be?" asked Neville.

**She'd spent her life being clouted by Dudley and bullied by Aunt Petunia and ordered around by Uncle Vernon; if she was really a witch, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock her in her cupboard?**

"Because transfiguration takes a lot of concentration, and focused magic, especially human transfiguration," lectured McGonagall.

"I know that now professor," said Leo, blushing slightly.

'_She looks so cute when she blushes,'_ thought Sirius, before shaking the thought off.

**If she'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick her around like a football?**

"Like a what?" asked Ginny, Draco and Blaise in unison.

"Hermione will explain later," said Leo.

"Why me?" asked Hermione.

"Because you get pleasure out of giving everyone lectures so loaded with information we have an information overload!" said Ron.

Hermione crossed her arms, and started to sulk, "Just for that, I won't explain," she muttered.

"Okay, then I'll explain," said Ron cheerfully.

"Oh No you won't!" snapped Hermione, and Leo and Ron sniggered at her.

"You are so easy to manipulate," sniggered Leo.

"**Hagrid," she said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a witch."**

**To her surprise, Hagrid chuckled.**

"**Not a witch, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared, or angry?"**

"You mean like the time she hung Malfoy up by his pants?" asked Ron, sniggering.

"Best mental image of my life," sighed Blaise.

"What kind of friend are you?" asked Draco.

"The best kind," answered several people.

**Leo looked into the fire. Now she came to think about it … every odd thing that had ever made her aunt and uncle furious with her had happened when he, Leo, had been upset or angry … chased by Dudley's gang, she had somehow found herself out of their reach … dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, she'd managed to make it grow back … and the very last time Dudley had hit her, hadn't she got her revenge, without even realising she was doing it? Hadn't she set a boa constrictor on him?**

There were several snickers at this.

**Leo looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at her.**

"**See?" said Hagrid. "Leo Potter, not a witch – you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.**

"**Haven't I told you she's not going?" he hissed. "She's going to Stonewall High and she'll be grateful for it.**

"Yeah, and you should be grateful your still alive!" hissed Sirius.

"No bad thoughts!" snapped Leo.

"Don't worry, we'll get them sometime!" giggled Hermione manically.

"What has she been eating?" asked Leo, while James shot Hermione a horrified look.

"Dunno, but I think Sirius might be into it as well," said Ron.

"I wonder where I would get it?" asked Neville.

"Not you too!" said Leo, shocked.

**I've read those letters and she needs all sorts of rubbish – spell books and wands and –"**

"Yeah, cause a wand is rubbish," said Regulus snarkily.

"Spell books are really useful," said Leo, "You learn how to hex and curse people,"

"And in Hermione's case, how to do better than the rest of the school," said Ron.

"And in Sirius's case, how to prank everyone in the school," said Remus.

"Actually, that was you. You came up with ideas, and I put them into action with my great flair, and style," said Sirius.

"While James made sure they actually stayed in place using a miraculous common sense that deserted him whenever it came to Lily, or actually doing the pranks," said Remus.

"I wish Leo had inherited some of that common sense," mumbled Hermione.

"What does that mean?" asked Leo.

"You are really reckless, and tend to have no common sense," suggested Sirius, earning himself a punch from the annoyed teen.

"Don't worry mum, it's an endearing trait," sniggered James. That earned him a scowl, and he quickly moved away.

"How did we get so off topic?" asked Hermione.

"Perhaps it's because the lot of you are too stupid to stay on task," suggested Snape bitingly.

"**If she wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop her," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's daughter goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. Her name's been down ever since she was born. She's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and she won't know herself.**

"Who does?" wondered Angelina.

"Dunno Angie, but I wanna know you," said George, waggling his eyebrows at her. He unfortunately forgot that his mother and head of house were sitting behind him.

"Weasley!" snarled McGonagall, while Molly simply hurled a nasty tongue-tier at him. The twins ducked, while Angelina simply said.

"Well, I've spent 6 years playing Quidditch with you. I don't think there's more to know,"

"I don't think there's more that we want to know," said Alicia.

"I don't think there's more we need to know," added Katie.

"I dread to think about what I do know," muttered Leo.

"So do we," said the three girls.

Leo missed the black (**teehee**) look Sirius was giving the twins.

**She'll be with youngsters of her own sort, fer a change, an' she'll be under the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts ever had, Albus Dumbled–"**

"**I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HER MAGIC TRICKS!"**

"Now you've done it!" giggled Tonks.

**Yelled Uncle Vernon.**

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head. "NEVER –" he thundered, "– INSULT – ALBUS – DUMBLEDORE – IN – FRONT – OF – ME!"**

"Run for your lives!" screamed Hermione, causing people to jump.

"Don't do that Hermione," said Leo.

"But it's fun," mumbled Hermione, with a pout.

Draco caught himself wondering what it would be like to kiss her.

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley – there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal and next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain.**

"What did he do? What did he do?" asked the twins, looking positively gleeful.

"Wait and see," said Leo, grinning slightly.

**When he turned his back on them, Leo saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.**

There was a roar of laughter through the room.

"Is that why he was acting so weird when we came to pick you up?" asked Ron, grinning.

"Yeah," sniggered Leo.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.**

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

"**Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

Whatever control that had been regained was lost again.

"Why do we always miss the best buts?" whined the twins.

"Cause your luck sucks," said Leo.

"So does yours," said Hermione.

"Most of the time," added Ginny.

**He cast a sideways look at Leo under his bushy eyebrows.**

"**Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm – er – not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff – one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job –"**

"**Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Leo.**

"**Oh, well – I was at Hogwarts meself but I – er – got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."**

"**Why were you expelled?"**

"He never tells," whined Sirius.

Then he noticed the trio smirking.

"You know?" asked Remus.

"Yep. In our second year," said Hermione.

"What?" whined Charlie, "But how come you get to know?"

"Cause no-one can match Leo's curiosity," said Ron.

"I guess there's that," said McGonagall, "Which explains why you three seem to know more than you should,"

"That, and so much more," smirked Hermione.

"**It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town; get all yer books an' that."**

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Leo.**

"**You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

"Eww!" said Ginny, wrinkling her nose.

"So, who's reading next?" asked James.

"We're going around the circle," said Narcissa.

"Cool," said James, "I wonder when Reggie's getting here,"

Another letter landed on the table, and James opened it.

"Hopefully, Regulus never discovers how to get there, or you all might just go insane from being on such confined quarters with him. I f he does come, raise the alarm," the letter said.

"Well, you can't argue with that," said James, so, what's there to eat?"

Molly instantly stood up, and ushered the rest of them into the dining room, where a huge feast was sitting on the slightly sagging table. As they walked into the room, Leo felt James slip his arm around her shoulders, and when she looked up, he grinned down at her. from the other side, sirius pulled her close, and grinned at her and James. She was suddenly filled with a warmth, and for the first time, in a long time, she really felt as if she truly belonged.

**Hello readers.**

**Whatcha think?**

**By the way, I put up the story about how Sirius left home, but I haven't got any reviews at all! I am super sad about that!**

**Please review both of the stories. I'm still getting Sirius' and Regulus' conversation down, so that might take a bit, so keep your eyes open.**

**Arana'a**


	8. interlude

**Hello, all my lovely Readers!**

**This is a kind of interlude, where there all having lunch, although it does focus on their conversations. I have put in the names of Leo's kids, but I have changed Albus' name to Regulus, cause Albus Dumbledore is kinda evil and manipulative in this story, so Leo won't name her kid after him.**

**Other than that, things are sorta the same.**

**Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I really don't wanna say it, but, the characters aren't mine, they belong to JK Rowling.**

They were all seated around the dining table, helping themselves to Molly's delicious food.

"Why must you eat like a pig?" asked Regulus, frowning at his brother.

"James and I always assumed it was because he was a pig," remarked Remus from down the table, and there were several sniggers at this.

"Or because he just wanted to piss his mother off," suggested Leo, grinning at him. Sirius decided that she looked prettiest when she smiled

'_No! Don't think like that. She is your God Daughter!' _he thought desperately, but a little voice in the back of his mind said, '_try as hard as you like, that's not gonna change how you feel!'_ Sirius quickly squashed that.

"Think what you like, I'm hungry," said Sirius, ignoring them all.

"Me too! Could you pass the potatoes?" asked James. He thought his parent's behaviour was pretty funny.

'_Merlin, they're acting like awkward teenagers! Reggie and Rigel are never gonna believe me!'_ he thought, sniggering inside.

"You know," said Ginny, "I don't think I know any male who actually eats properly,"

"What about Uncle Draco?" asked James.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about him," said Leo, giggling slightly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Draco, insulted.

"I would say you're easy to forget, but I might end up sharing my bed with a frog," said Blaise, causing many people to laugh at the expression on Draco's face.

"Just for that, I might decide to put an eel in," mumbled Draco, glaring at Blaise. He smirked smugly when Blaise went white.

"You wouldn't!" said Blaise.

"Try me!" smirked Draco.

"So, what is the future like?" asked Tonks, and all conversations ceased, as everyone turned to James.

"Hum, - well…" said James, suddenly awkward,

'_Damn Teddy for sending me alone! I'll set his broom on fire for that!'_

"I don't think I'm aloud to say," he mumbled

"Why don't you check," said Leo. James took one look at her expression, and shot for the pieces if parchment that Teddy had sent him. His mother could be terrifying when she wanted to be.

"You know, this is kinda fun" said Leo, smiling happily, while the Weasley boys leaned away from her.

"It most certainly is," smiled Molly, and she was shot horrified looks from her children. James came back with the list.

"Well, I am aloud to tell you who my siblings are, and who works where," said James looking up.

"So?" asked Leo, suddenly excited. She wanted desperately to know about her future family

"Well, there's me, then Reggie and Rigel, then Lily, and then Ceri," said James.

"What are their full names?" asked Sirius.

"Well, I'm James Sirius," started James, but was stopped by several sniggers, and a very red Sirius and Leo. Chuckling slightly at his parents expressions, he moved on, "and then there's Rigel Blaise and Regulus Severus…"

There was a sudden roar of sound.

"What?" shrieked Leo and Sirius.

"Why!" said Ron, Charlie and Bill, while the twins just sat there in shock. Remus, Tonks and Kinglsley were in stiches. The main star, Severus sat their absolutely stupefied, mimicking a very pale goldfish. Draco was stuck between laughter and shock, and his emotions seemed to be shared by Blaise. Minerva was looking faintly shocked, but there was a slight smile on her face. Molly and Arthur looked shocked, and were staring Leo with horror. Angelina, Alicia and Katie looked disgusted, and were leaning slightly away from their potions teacher. Lucius was staring at the 15 year old girl and her son in shock, while his wife was smiling behind her hand, as she knew all about Severus' love for Lily Potter. Mad-eye didn't seem to be bothered. Neville had fallen off his chair, and the usually dreamy Luna was in shock, staring at the black-haired girl. Even Percy was in shock, staring at the girl.

'_I knew she was insane!'_ he thought, '_how on earth do you explain why she would do something like that? Who would name their kid after Snape?_'

"I knew you would have that reaction," said James, bent over in stitches.

"So that's not his actual middle name" asked Leo, hopefully.

"Uhh, sorry, but it is," said James.

"Why?" whimpered Ginny, looking as if she was in physical pain.

"Dunno, but mum always said it was after the bravest headmaster of Hogwarts," said James. Everyone turned to look at Snape, who was still in shock.

"I think you broke him," murmured Angelina, and there were a few nervous giggles.

"Detention!" Snape finally got out.

"One would think he would be happy to have a kid named after him," said James. He received several incredulous looks.

"Well, why don't we move on?" suggested James. There was a distressed nod from Leo.

"Well, next is Lily Elladora, and finally Cerise-Mikael Luna," said James.

"Lily Elladora is a fine name, but why Cerise-Mikael?" asked Leo.

"Cause you and dad couldn't agree on the name," smirked James, "You argued for an hour before you decided on Cerise-Mikael. Everyone just calls her Ceri, (**rhymes with ferry**)" said James.

"Cerise is a nice name," said Sirius.

"I like Mikaela better," argued Leo.

"Cerise is nicer," said Sirius. They glared at each other, missing the increasing number of smirks that they were getting.

"You know, I wonder how they can be so clueless," murmured Ron to Hermione.

"And when Ron knows, they're really clueless," smirked Ginny, while Hermione stared at him in shock.

"So, why don't we move away from the distressing topic of Leo's kid's names, and move onto our jobs," said Hermione, in attempt to forget about her friend's choice of names, and Ron's sudden bout of noticing things.

"Okay, but there are some people who I can't talk about," warned James. There were nods.

"Okay, so let's start with mum," said James, "You work as our DADA professor, which sucks, cause we never get any privacy around school,"

"Which is a good thing," said Molly.

"No it's not!" protested all the teenagers.

"I knew you would make a great teacher," said Hermione, grinning at her very red friend.

"Any way, mum's a really good teacher, and she works part time as advisor to the minister for magic. She's in line for becoming next minister, which isn't surprising, cause everyone loves her."

There were several cheers, and Leo went an even brighter shade of red, and hid her face in Sirius' shirt.

"Why me?" she moaned, while Sirius laughed at her.

"Then Aunty Mya works as an unspeakable. Aunty Ginny is a famous Quidditch player. She's on the Harpies, and we always get tickets!"

"Really?" asked Ginny, intrigued.

"Yeah,"

"So why haven't you shown up for Quidditch try outs?" asked Angelina.

"Well, I never really bothered," said Ginny.

"Okay," said Angelina, but there was a look in her eyes that said she wasn't finished.

"Well, Aunty Angie is the flying instructor at Hogwarts," said James.

"At least it's better than Oliver," said Leo, Fred and Katie at once.

"Actually, he's a professional Quidditch coach," said James, and he received horrified looks.

"They're paying him to wake people up at the crack of dawn for training?" asked Leo.

"Uhh, yeah. Loads of people complain about his style, but his team wins every year," said James.

"How come Leo doesn't go into Quidditch?" asked Alicia.

"She was for 10 year, then she became teacher when I got into Hogwarts," said James. He grinned, before moving on, "And Aunty Alicia is an auror, and so is Aunty Katie. Uncle George owns the joke shop,"

"What joke shop?" asked Molly, frowning.

"Weasley's wizard wheezes," said James, "It's huge! It's even taken over Zonko's."

"You're kidding!" said Fred and George.

"Nope!" said James, "you started up in the war, and you became a hit overnight. Apparently you thought that everyone needs a laugh,"

"They do!" said the twins, excited beyond belief.

"So, what does Fred do?" asked Ginny.

"That's one of the things I'm not allowed to say," said James.

"Doesn't he work in the joke shop?" asked George worriedly.

"Can't say," said James shrugging, "well, Uncle Charlie is head keeper in Romania, uncle bill works in Gringotts. Apparently he's really high up,"

"Nice," said Bill and Charlie, grinning.

"Any way, Uncle Draco owns an importing business called Malfoy Inc.,"

"Nice," snickered Leo, "Absolutely screams Drake,"

"At least I have my own business," said Draco.

"And uncle Blaise is your second in command, and he does all the work," said James.

"Even better," said Draco.

"Yeah, for you," said Blaise.

"Well, you are better at that sort of stuff," said Ginny.

"Imagine if Draco had to run the company," said Leo, "He'd lose all of the staff,"

"Well, I do all the meetings, and Blaise does the rest," said Draco.

"We'll argue about that later," said Blaise.

"Uncle Ron is an auror, and Uncle Percy is the head of Muggle relations," said James. Every one turned to stare at the estranged Weasley, and he went a funny shade of pink, and refused to say anything.

"Well, hum, Professor McGonagall is headmistress of Hogwarts, and d-Sirius is an attorney of wizarding law," said James, almost slipping up. Hopefully no-one would notice his mistake.

"Really?" asked Remus and Sirius.

"How?" asked Remus, "He doesn't do work at all!"

"Well, he said that he didn't want to see anyone go through what he had to," said James.

"I like that idea," said Sirius, "Maybe I will be an attorney,"

That requires work," reminded Remus,

"Ah well, everyone has to make sacrifices ever now and then," said Sirius airily.

"I never thought I'd see the day," said McGonagall.

"I passed all my NEWT's," said Sirius.

"How you managed to do that, I'll never know," said Remus.

"What happened?" asked Draco.

"He got the highest scores in the entire school," said Remus.

"Highest since some guy called Tom Riddle. Apparently I tied with him," said Sirius.

"You tied with Voldemort?" asked Leo.

"What?" asked several people.

"Voldemort was born Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was a half-blood raised in a Muggle orphanage," said Leo, "He mixed the letters of his name to make Lord Voldemort,"

"Wow," said Sirius.

"Why?" whined Remus, putting his head into his hands, "I spent 7 years struggling to get him to pass, and then he goes and ties with Voldemort,"

"Don't worry Remus, we get what you have to go through," said Ron, putting his hand n Remus's shoulder.

"We have to do the same for Leo," said Neville.

"I don't see why I have to put the effort in when I'm busy keeping the school safe. Besides, I always pass the exams anyway," said Leo shrugging.

"And she beats Hermione," said Neville.

"See," said Leo.

"I still don't know how she does that," murmured McGonagall.

"Well, anyway, what does the rest of them do?" asked Ron.

"Well, Kingsley is minister for magic," said James, and there were several shouts of congratulations.

"How did that happen?" asked Arthur.

"Well, after fudge got sacked, Scrimogour got a promotion, then after he died, Thicknesse got the job, but he was working for Voldemort. Then after the war, Kingsley got elected," said James.

"Nice," said Leo, grinning vindictively.

"Yeah, mum, don't grin like that. It's scary," said James, edging away,"

"Sorry," said Leo.

"So what about Remus and Dora?" asked Andromeda.

"Well, I can't talk about them either," said James.

"What about Snape?" asked Tonks.

"Can't talk about him either," said James.

"What about me?" asked Neville.

"Well you work as the herbology professor, and Aunty Luna works as a wizarding equivalent of a naturalist," said James.

"Cool," said Leo.

"So, what's for desert?" asked Ron.

"Treacle tart, raspberry pie, and chocolate cake," said Molly, and there were several appreciative sounds.

"Yum, Treacle tart!" said Leo and James, drooling slightly. They grinned at each other, while Sirius, Hermione and Draco rolled their eyes at them. They helped themselves, eating until they felt as if they were about to explode.

"You know, I could go to sleep," said James, settling back in his chair with a very happy smile.

"Thank you Mrs Weasley, that was an excellent meal," said Leo, wearing the same expression as her son.

"And there's the proof that they're related," said Blaise, smirking at the two teenagers.

"Thanks, Grandma Molly," said James. Suddenly everyone froze, and turned to look at James.

"What?" he asked, "Do I have something on my face?"

"Grandma Molly?" asked Leo, looking faintly green, as al the Weasley boys leaned away from her.

"Yeah, what's your point?" asked James.

"I'm married to one of them?" asked Leo, her voice going up several octaves, as she pointed to the redheaded sea of Weasley children.

"No!" said James, going green, "That's like thinking of you getting married to one of your brothers!"

There was an audible sound of relief from the male part of the Weasley clan, and Leo.

"I just called her Grandma Molly cause we were adopted into the family like, ages ago," said James, "Everyone calls her grandma Molly, even Scorpio, which is bloody hilarious, cause Uncle Draco goes a funny shade of red, and this vein comes out on his forehead," sniggered James, while Draco acted out what James was describing.

"Okay then," said Leo. Molly shot her a slightly hurt look.

"Oh, it's not that they're bad or anything Mrs Weasley, but I kinda see them all as my brother, and it'd be like marrying Draco,"

"See! I told you! There is absolutely nothing between us, so stop making all those bloody insinuations!" said Draco, glaring at Blaise.

"He knows that," said Leo.

"He just does that to piss you off," said Ginny.

"Language!" said Mrs Weasley.

"So, has every one finished?" asked Hermione.

"Everyone except for the Black hole," sniggered Tonks. There were several answering chuckles at her pun.

"Very funny, Nymphadora," said Sirius, snarkily.

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" growled Tonks, her hair going red.

"Sure, Nympho," sniggered Charlie, before diving to the side to avoid the hex Tonks sent at him.

"I was kidding!" he said, ducking under the table.

"You call me that again, Weasley, and I will castrate you!" growled Tonks, her hair going black, and slightly curly.

"I've never seen her look like that," murmured Leo to Sirius.

"That's her true form," said Sirius, "When she feels an extreme emotion, she reverts back to her true form,"

"So, why don't we read?" asked Bill, taking pity on his terrified Brother, who was whimpering under the table.

"Why are you acting like a bloody spineless Hufflepuff?" asked Sirius.

"Sirius!" reprimanded Remus.

"What?" asked Sirius, "It's true. Everyone knows that Hufflepuff's can't handle danger without wetting their pants,"

"Oi!" snapped Tonks.

"You don't count, you're a Black," said Sirius, waving his hand at her dismissively.

"Why are you acting like that?" asked Draco, turning to Charlie.

"Have you seen her angry?" asked Charlie.

"It's probably no worse than Leo, or my mother," said Draco, wincing at the glare his mother sent him.

"Yeah, well, not all of us grew up with a very volatile person," said Charlie.

"It runs in the family," explained Andromeda.

"Which I why we seem so terrifying," said Narcissa.

"And here I thought it was just because we were part Veela," said Sirius.

"Sirius!" snapped Regulus, Andromeda and Narcissa.

"What?" he asked, turning to look at them, "It's true,"

"But we don't say so," reminded Andromeda.

"Hah! I knew you were part Veela!" Kingsley, smirking at Sirius.

"Well, duh! How do you think we got so popular when we were in Hogwarts?" he asked.

"Damn you," growled Kingsley.

"Why don't we move away from this topic, and go and read the books," suggested Molly, frowning disapprovingly at the two men.

"Okay, but we had better bring some snacks," said Hermione, frowning at Ron.

"What?" asked Ron.

"Nothing," sighed Hermione. Instantly, several plats of food appeared, and started to float towards the Reading room. They followed, setting down onto the couches and beanbags provided.

"So, who's reading?" asked Draco.

"I do believe it is Minnie's turn to read," grinned Sirius.

"Do not call me that, Black!" snapped McGonagall, summoning the book, and opening it.

"Diagon Alley,"

**Well, what do you think. I was going to put it with the next chapter, but it got too long, so I've put it separately.**

**Here's the seating order**

**Andromeda, Regulus, Narcissa, Lucius and snape on the yellow sofa.**

**Next wall - McGonagall (**nearest to Snape**), Kingsley and Mad-eye on the blue sofa.**

**Next wall - Mr, and Mrs Weasley, and percy on the purple sofa.**

**Tonks (**nearest to Percy**) and Remus on the beige sofa.**

**Sirius (**nearest to Remus**), ron and Hermione on the red sofa.**

**Leo (**at Sirius' feet**), James, fred and George on the black beanbag.**

**Next wall – draco (**nearest to Hermione**), blaise and Ginny on Green sofa**

**Next wall (**same as Andromeda…**) – Angelina (**nearest to Ginny**), Alicia and Katie on orange sofa.**

**Luna and Neville on white beanbag.**

**Hope that helps,**

**Arana'a**


	9. Diagon Alley

**I am soo sorry for taking so long to update, but I have had so much trouble with exams, and I spent so much time worrying over my grade that I didn't really look at my laptop.**

**This chapter was actually kinda hard to write. Hope you like it!**

"Diagon Alley," read McGonagall.

**Leo woke early the next morning. Although she could tell it was daylight, she kept her eyes shut tight.**

"**It was a dream," she told herself firmly**

"Isn't someone optimistic," said Sirius, grinning down at Leo. He tried to focus on her face and not look down her shirt.

'_It was a really bad idea to sit higher up than Leo. It's too tempting,'_ he thought to himself, as he tried to look somewhere else.

"**I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard."**

Leo got several amused smirks, and she went red.

"You are Soo pessimistic!" said Neville, shaking his head at the girl.

"Someone has to be," said Leo, "Ron's the optimist, and Hermione kinda balances us out,"

"Too true," said Ron, grinning at his best friends.

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.**

"**And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door," Leo thought, her heart sinking**

"Two galleons it's the daily prophet owl," said Ron to Hermione. She accepted the bet.

**. But she still didn't open her eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

"Most of my dreams are," said Leo.

"What happens when it's not a good dream?" asked Regulus.

"Then it's a nightmare," shrugged Leo.

"She's almost bi-polar," said Ron, "She goes from one extreme to the next,"

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

"**All right," Leo mumbled, "I'm getting up."**

**She sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off her**

"It wasn't a dream." smiled Leo.

"We know," said Draco.

"Shut up and don't ruin my happy mood," said Leo.

"Fine," said Draco.

**. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.**

"Hah! Told you so!" said Ron smirking at Hermione. She frowned, and dug out the money.

"Honestly Hermione, you should know better than to bet with them," said Leo, "They just know,"

"Know what?" asked Regulus.

"They know," said Hermione, shrugging.

"Ron's even a slight seer," said Leo, "Although he fails at divination,"

**Leo scrambled to her feet, so happy she felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside her.**

"Happy Balloon!" yelled George suddenly.

"Brilliant!" said Fred, and they instantly pulled out a piece of parchment and started to scribble.

"I don't want to know," mumbled Molly.

**She went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered on to the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.**

"That coat can hold everything," said Hermione, "How did the owl have any effect?"

"You'll be surprised what those little buggers can do," said Sirius, wincing at the reminder.

"What happened to you?" asked Leo.

"He decided to sleep in one morning, and the owl came to deliver his paper," grinned Remus, "After it got rid of the paper, it pulled off his covers one by one, and then attacked him until he payed it,"

There were several sniggers at this.

"He stopped ordering the paper after that, and fell to nicking other peoples paper," said Regulus.

"Which was incredibly annoying," muttered Narcissa.

"What?" asked Sirius.

"You took it when we were reading it," said Andromeda.

"That was the best part," said Sirius, "The look on you face as you tried to figure out what had happened to the paper. They were always half asleep, so it took them a moment or two to figure out what had happened,"

"Leo does the same," grumbled Ron.

"**Don't do that."**

**Leo tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at her and carried on savaging the coat.**

"The coats pretty savage," mumbled Leo.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sirius. She just smiled at him dreamily, and he had to focus for a moment to not fall over.

"**Hagrid!" said Leo loudly. "There's an owl –"**

"**Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.**

"**What?"**

"**He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."**

"Noooo! Don't do it!" screamed Hermione, "You'll get lost!" she received several incredulous looks from the Slytherin's, but they found that the rest of the room was nodding sagely.

"Too many pockets there for it to be safe," said Remus wisely.

"I was alright," said Leo.

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets – bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, mint humbugs, tea-bags … finally, Leo pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.**

"They are not strange looking," protested Angelina.

"I was used to Muggle money," reminded Leo.

"I guess," murmured Angelina.

"**Give him five Knuts,"**

Blaise suddenly sniggered.

"Ha-ha, knuts," he giggled.

"You have grown up in the wizarding world, yes?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah," said Blaise.

"So then why are you giggling like a two year old?" asked Leo.

"Cause we're teenage boys who have excess hormones," said Draco.

"That is no excuse," said Leo, Hermione and Ginny at once.

**Said Hagrid sleepily.**

"**Knuts?"**

"**The little bronze ones."**

"Here Draco and Blaise sniggered again, unable to help themselves.

"Shut up you two," said Leo, rolling her eyes at them.

**Leo counted out five little bronze coins and the owl held out its leg so she could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then it flew off through the open window.**

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up and stretched.**

"Why did he make you do it if he was getting up anyway?" asked Regulus.

"Cause he wanted her to get used to the money," supplied Sirius at once.

"Sure," said Regulus.

"**Best be off, Leo, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."**

**Leo was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. She had just thought of something which made her feel as though the happy balloon inside her had got a puncture.**

"Noo! Not the happy balloon!" screamed Fred and George.

"**Um – Hagrid?"**

"**Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.**

"**I haven't got any money – and you heard Uncle Vernon last night – he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."**

"What are you talking about?" asked Sirius, "You're one of the Olde families,"

"What are the Olde families?" asked Leo. There was a moment of silence.

"You don't know?" asked McGonagall, "but Dumbledore told me that he told you,"

"Never heard of it," said Leo.

"But surely I've mentioned it!" said Draco, absolutely aghast.

"Nope," said Leo shaking her head.

"But that goes against every wizarding law, to withhold such information," said Regulus, "you have to take your position as head of an Olde family the day you turn 17,"

"What is an Olde family?" asked Leo again.

"The Olde families are those families that have been around since the time of the founders," explained Narcissa, "The Olde families are the Peverells, the Blacks, the Malfoy's, the Weasley's, the Zabinni's, the Longbottom's, the Bone's, the Lestrange's and the Dumbledore's. They form the backbone of the ministry, Gringotts, the wizenmagott, and the counsel of the Olde. They are the most powerful and influential families in Britain, and also the world. You can't do better than one of the Olde families. At the age of 17, the oldest child, girl or boy, will take over responsibilities of the Lordship of the House, and will share it with their spouse. If the oldest is a girl, then the title will pass to her brother's son, or her eldest son,"

"To deny you the knowledge of this is absolutely horrible," explained regulus, "When you are 17, you must join the council. You can hold other jobs, but the council is the most important. If you didn't know when you turn 17, we could end up having a full depression, or a wipe-out of most of the wizarding population. The last time something like this happened was in the dark ages, and that resulted in the witch hunts, and the loss of so much magical knowledge,"

"And now, with the Potter and Black seats empty for so long, for you to come into your inheritance not knowing could cause a horrible event. The balance is already tipping, and this could cause a complete fall of the balance," said Sirius worriedly.

"It is blasphemy to withhold such information, and a counsel member himself, Dumbledore is under pain of death to ensure that you know. He will be executed for this, and none of his exploits and discoveries will save him. His seat will go his brother," said Lucius, looking furious.

"Why don't you explain it further later?" asked Leo, "That way we'll all have time to go in depth with it,"

"Fine, but Dumbledore will pay," growled Sirius, looking murderous.

James decided not to say anythin, because a magical explosion wasn't a good experience. He himself had never heard of this, and he had never seen his mother or father do anything remotely connected to it.

"**Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"**

"**But if their house was destroyed –"**

"Wizards don't keep their gold in their houses," said Draco, amused.

"I know that now," said Leo, "I just thought they might do it differently from muggles,"

"**They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold – an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."**

"**Wizards have banks?"**

"Yes. There's a Gringotts in every country," said Bill.

"Which is why billy boy is so well travelled," grinned Charlie.

"I could have you locked in a vault if you don't show respect to your elders,' said bill, glaring at his brother. Charlie only grinned.

"**Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."**

**Leo dropped the bit of sausage she was holding.**

"Noo! The food!" wailed Sirius. He ducked the book thrown by Remus, but unfortunately got hit by the hex sent by regulus. He rolled around on the floor, gagged, and with green skin. Sirius flailed his arms for a moment, before sinking into himself, and glaring at the laughing occupants of the room.

"**Goblins?"**

"**Yeah – so you'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that.**

"We all knew mother was mad," said James nonchalantly. He was suddenly hit by a broom, when he looked around, it was to see a very furious teddy standing behind him.

"Read the list you idiot!" screamed Teddy, his hair going red, "You're not supposed to talk about some things!"

"Well sorry," pouted James, rubbing the back of his head. Teddy glared at him, and then disappeared.

"Who was that?" asked Leo.

"Teddy, the over reacting metamorphmagus," said James.

"He's a metamorphmagus?" asked Leo excitedly.

"Yeah," said James, "and he lies to scare the shit out of you by coming home as someone who's dead,"

"Home?" asked Leo, "He's related to me?"

"Actually to dad, but he's your godson," said James.

"Really?" asked Regulus.

"Yeah," said James, glad that everyone had forgotten his comment about his mother. It was further helped my Sirius making rather muffled sounds, and glaring at his brother, who eventually released Sirius from his hex. Sirius glared at Regulus, and plonked himself back into his chair.

**Never mess with goblins, Leo. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe – 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you – gettin' things from Gringotts – knows he can trust me, see.**

"**Got everythin'? Come on, then."**

"Well, isn't that one way to get Leo's attention, mumbled Ron.

"What does that mean?" asked Regulus.

"Leo has curiousity the size of the Horntail she faced last year, and just as dangerous," said Hermione.

"I thought we were never going to talk about that," said Leo.

"Alright, but it still happened," said Ron.

**Leo followed Hagrid out on to the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.**

"**How did you get here?" Leo asked, looking around for another boat.**

"**Flew," said Hagrid.**

"Flew?"

"**Flew?"**

"Ha-ha," sniggered the occupants at the red Sirius.

"**Yeah – but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."**

**They settled down in the boat, Leo still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.**

"I first pictured him flapping his arm," giggled Leo, causing the others to laugh

"**Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Leo another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter – er – speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"**

"Typical Hagrid," giggled Hermione.

"**Of course not," said Leo, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat and they sped off towards land.**

"**Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Leo asked.**

"**Spells – enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high-security vaults.**

"What?" yelped an angry Charlie. Bill instantly shrink away. Sometimes, his brother was like the dragons he cared for.

"Is that true?" growled Charlie to Bill.

"Can't say, I'm under oath to not speak about safety measure, whether they are there or not," said Bill, not meeting his brother's eyes.

"There had better not be," growled Charlie.

**And then yeh gotta find yer way – Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."**

"That implies you would be able to get past the goblins, to the vault, and you would have to be able to open it," said Bill.

**Leo sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Leo had learnt from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, she'd never had so many questions in her life.**

"How has that changed?" asked Hermione and Ron at once.

"She asks so many questions that teachers have given up answering, and just hand her piles of notes," said Draco, sniggering at the blushing girl.

"Didn't Professor Binns actually flee one class because of her?" asked Blaise.

"No!" protested Leo, while everyone laughed.

"**Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.**

"**There's a Ministry of Magic?" Leo asked, before she could stop herself.**

"See, she just can't help herself," said Hermione.

"**Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."**

"Well, that's changed," mumbled Leo.

"Now he just tries to ignore Dumbledore," said Ron.

"And discredit Leo," said Hermione.

"Well, it's not really working, when he attempt to use the Toad," said Leo, smirking.

"**But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"**

"Nothing," sang almost everyone in the room. Percy decided to not comment because he was a bit outnumbered here.

'_How dare they say such things about the minister?'_ thought Percy angrily, '_he works hard to keep them safe,'_

"**Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."**

"And that too," said Leo, giggling madly.

"**Why?"**

"**Why? Blimey, Leo, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."**

"That is actually what Voldemort is trying to do, but he's so damn insane that he's taken it to extremes," said Leo, to the shock of the room.

"True," said Ron, "If you look at it, he just wants to make sure that wizards aren't bothered by muggles, but he went into the whole blood thing, which started up protest,"

"Wow," murmured Hermione, "Who are you, and what did you do with Ron?"

"What?" asked Ron, "I think. How do you think I beat you at Chess every time,"

"He has a point," said Leo.

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbour wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper and they clambered up the stone steps on to the street.**

**Passers-by stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Leo couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Leo? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"**

"Can he be any more obvious," groaned McGonagall.

"Nope!" sang Leo, Hermione and Ron.

"**Hagrid," said Leo, panting a bit as she ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"**

"**Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."**

"And we all know how that ended," said Draco and Hermione darkly.

"Dragons aren't good for me," whined Leo.

"What is?" asked Ginny.

"Good point," said Leo.

"What do you mean?" asked Sirius.

"About what?" asked Leo.

"That Hagrid liking a Dragon didn't end well," said Remus.

"Exactly what we said," said Hermione.

"You mean there actually was a dragon?" asked McGonagall dangerously.

"We cannot answer that at this time," said Leo.

"You met a dragon?" asked James in awe.

"In the triwizard tournament," said Leo.

"That doesn't count,' pouted James, but he knew that his mother would not answer.

"**You'd like one?"**

"**Wanted one ever since I was a kid – here we go."**

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money", as he called it, gave the notes to Leo so she could buy their tickets.**

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.**

"Doesn't Fang have a yellow knitted bed?" asked Neville.

"I think so," said Leo.

"**Still got yer letter, Leo?" he asked as he counted stitches.**

**Leo took the parchment envelope out of her pocket.**

"**Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."**

**Leo unfolded a second piece of paper she hadn't noticed the night before and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Uniform**

**First-year students will require:**

**1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

"Does anyone wear them?" asked Leo.

"Not after the first day,' said Draco.

"So then why is it on the list?" asked Hermione.

"It's a tradition as old as the castle," said Lucius

**3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags**

"No-one has name tags anymore," mumbled Hermione, "Everyone just uses magical signatures,"

"And they last longer," said Leo.

**Set Books**

**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk**

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot**

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling**

**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch**

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore**

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger**

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander**

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble**

"Wow, the list hasn't changed at all," said Regulus, "except for the DA books,"

"The DA books are all that changes," said Leo.

**Other Equipment**

**1 wand**

**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)**

**1 set glass or crystal phials**

**1 telescope**

**1 set brass scales**

"That's just common sense," mumbled James, "You won't believe how many people blow up their cauldrons,"

Everyone turned to a very red Neville.

"Don't worry Nev," said Leo, "It's just clumsiness.

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

"That rule sucks," whined Sirius.

Ron, Hermione and Leo grinned.

"What?" asked Sirius.

"Nothing," they sang, while Draco glared at them.

"**Can we buy all this in London?" Leo wondered aloud.**

"**If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.**

**Leo had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.**

"**I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said, as they climbed a broken-down escalator which led up to a bustling road lined with shops.**

"Can he be any more obvious?" groaned McGonagall, interrupting herself.

"He's Hagrid," said Leo, Hermione and Ron, as if that explained everything.

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Leo had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger bars and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up?**

"If they actually had a sense of humour," snorted Sirius.

**If Leo hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humour, she might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told her so far was unbelievable, Leo couldn't help trusting him.**

"Aww," said Hermione, grinning insanely at her friend.

"What?" asked Leo.

"Nothing," giggled Hermione.

"**This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."**

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Leo wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Leo had the most peculiar feeling that only she and Hagrid could see it.**

"That's because there are very strong spells and enchantments on it," said Kingsley.

"Really?" asked Hermione.

**Before she could mention this, Hagrid had steered her inside.**

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old barman, who was quite bald and looked like a gummy walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the barman reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"**

"**Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Leo's shoulder and making Leo's knees buckle.**

"Oi" growled Sirius.

"Siri," said Leo, "This happened in the past,"

"Besides, Hagrid can make anyone's knew buckle if he claps 'em on the shoulder," said Ron.

"I'm just surprised Leo didn't collapse," said Hermione, "Usually he breaks your shoulder,"

"It wasn't that hard," mumbled Leo.

"**Good Lord," said the barman, peering at Leo, "is this – can this be –?"**

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.**

"And here it comes," whined Leo.

"What?" asked James.

"The annoying fans," moaned Leo, while many people sniggered at her.

"**Bless my soul," whispered the old barman. "Leonora Potter … what an honour."**

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed towards Leo and seized her hand, tears in his eyes.**

"**Welcome back, Ms Potter, welcome back."**

**Leo didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at her. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realising it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.**

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and, next moment, Leo found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

"I'm glad that passed," said Leo.

"It used to be so hard to get through the Cauldron without taking an hour or so," said Ron, grinning.

"**Doris Crockford, Mr Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."**

"**So proud, Mr Potter, I'm just so proud."**

"**Always wanted to shake your hand – I'm all of a flutter."**

"**Delighted, Mr Potter, just can't tell you. Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."**

"**I've seen you before!" said Leo, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."**

"You just made his day," giggled Hermione and Ginny, and Leo scowled at them.

"**She remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? She remembers me!"**

**Leo shook hands again and again – Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.**

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.**

"**Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Leo, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."**

"**P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Leo's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."**

"That stammer got old soo fast,' mumbled Leo.

"And to think, we actually thought he was helping," said Ron incensed.

"We have a really bad history with DADA teachers," said Hermione.

"**What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"**

"None," said the Trio in unison, while other students who had been taught by Quirrell sniggered.

"**D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.**

"Bloody annoying git," hissed Leo.

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Leo to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.**

"**Must get on – lots ter buy. Come on, Leo."**

**Doris Crockford shook Leo's hand one last time and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a dustbin and a few weeds.**

**Hagrid grinned at Leo.**

"**Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh – mind you, he's usually tremblin'."**

"**Is he always that nervous?"**

"Nervous, hah!" snorted Hermione, sneering.

"**Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience … They say he met vampires in the Black Forest and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag – never been the same since.**

"Not that it actually was a hag," growled Ron.

"What is it with you three and this teacher?" asked Regulus.

"you'll find out later in the book," said Leo.

**Scared of the students, scared of his own subject – now, where's me umbrella?"**

**Vampires? Hags? Leo's head was swimming.**

"Swim for your life!" screamed Hermione dramatically, before collapsing into giggles, along with Leo, Luna and Ginny.

"They've lost it," mumbled Ron, "Merlin and Morgana, save us all,"

**Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the dustbin.**

"**Three up … two across …" he muttered. "Right, stand back, Leo."**

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.**

**The brick he had touched quivered – it wriggled – in the middle, a small hole appeared – it grew wider and wider – a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway on to a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.**

"Diagon alley is awesome," sighed several people, smiling reminiscently.

"**Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."**

**He grinned at Leo's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Leo looked quickly over her shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.**

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons – All Sizes – Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver – Self-Stirring – Collapsible said a sign hanging over them.**

"**Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."**

**Leo wished she had about eight more eyes.**

"Don't we all," sighed Hermione.

"Can you imagine Leo with eight eyes," giggled Ginny.

"She already has four," sniggered Blaise. He was hit in the face by a particularly heavy pillow that Leo had thrown at him.

**She turned her head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad …"**

"It used to be eight sickles," said Regulus, frowning, while Snape muttered darkly about suppliers attempting to destroy the art of Potions.

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium – Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy.**

"Darling Hedwig," smiled Leo. There was a sudden pop, and Hedwig was sitting on Leo's shoulder. The owl started to preen the girls hair, while keeping a warning eye on Sirius, who decided that it was probably a good idea to not look at Leo.

**Several boys of about Leo's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," Leo heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand – fastest ever –" **

"I miss my nimbus," said Leo.

"you have a firebolt," said Draco.

"But my nimbus was my first ever broom!" protested Leo.

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Leo had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon …**

"**Gringotts," said Hagrid.**

**They had reached a snowy-white building which towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was –**

"A goblin!" cheered the several people.

"We know," answered McGonagall, glaring at them.

There was instantaneous silence.

"**Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps towards him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Leo. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Leo noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:**

"that really is a lovely spell," sighed regulus, "You cast it on yourself every time you read it,"

"Really?" asked Hermione, intrigued.

"Talk about it later,' said Ron, "Or we'll be here forever.

**Enter, stranger, but take heed**

**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**

**For those who take, but do not earn,**

**Must pay most dearly in their turn,**

**So if you seek beneath our floors**

**A treasure that was never yours,**

**Thief, you have been warned, beware**

**Of finding more than treasure there.**

"**Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.**

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Leo made for the counter.**

"**Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Ms Leo Potter's safe."**

"Goblins are kinda freaky," mumbled James.

"Why do you think that?" asked Leo, but James refused to answer.

"**You have her key, sir?"**

"**Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid and he started emptying his pockets on to the counter, scattering a handful of mouldy dog-biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Leo watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.**

"Absolutely beautiful," sighed Leo.

"**Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.**

**The goblin looked at it closely.**

"**That seems to be in order."**

"**An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

**The goblin read the letter carefully.**

"**Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"**

"Isn't he the head of the Potter vaults?" asked Sirius.

"I think so," replied Remus.

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog-biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Leo followed Griphook towards one of the doors leading off the hall.**

"**What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Leo asked.**

"**Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."**

"Was he given instructions on how to incite Leo's curiousity?" asked Hermione.

"Probably," said Ron, "Looking at Dumbledore's past record,"

**Griphook held the door open for them. Leo, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downwards and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks towards them. They climbed in – Hagrid with some difficulty – and were off.**

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Leo tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible.**

"That is the point of it," said Bill, "But it's still amazing that you remembered that far,"

"It wasn't that hard," mumbled Leo, "Besides, I like to remember things,"

"Other than Hermione," started Fred.

"You are the only person who does," finished George.

"And regulus," said Sirius, "And Remus.

**The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.**

**Leo's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but she kept them wide open. Once, she thought she saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, **

There was a frown from Charlie, and Bill found himself avoiding his younger brothers eyes.

**but too late – they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.**

"**I never know," Leo called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

Hermione opened her mouth, but was hit be a silencing spell from Ginny.

"We don't want a lecture," advised Leo when Hermione pouted.

"**Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."**

"Besides, his answer was fine," added Leo.

**He did look very green and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees trembling.**

There was a round of laughter at the image of Hagrid with trembling knees.

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Leo gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

"**All yours," smiled Hagrid.**

"And that's only the trust fund," said Sirius.

"how many vaults do I have?" asked Leo.

"Well, last time I checked, 14 years ago," said Sirius, rubbing his chin, "you had about 12,"

"Wow," breathed Leo, looking faintly green.

**All Leo's – it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from her faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much Leo cost them to keep?**

"They wouldn't have been able to without a key and your express permission," said Remus, growling under his breath.

**And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to her, buried deep under London.**

**Hagrid helped Leo pile some of it into a bag.**

"**The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"**

"One speed only," said Bill.

"**One speed only," said Griphook.**

Several people grinned at the Weasley.

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners.**

**They went rattling over an underground ravine and Leo leant over the side to try and see what was down at the dark bottom but Hagrid groaned and pulled her back by the scruff of her neck.**

"What were you thinking? Did you want to get yourself killed?" screamed Molly worriedly.

"I was just curious," said Leo.

"I wonder what's at the bottom," mumbled Ginny.

"the oldest and most secure vaults," said Bill and Sirius at the same time

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.**

"**Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.**

"Wow, high security," mumbled Tonks.

"**If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.**

"**How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Leo asked.**

"**About once every ten years," said Griphook, with a rather nasty grin.**

"goblins can be rather nasty," said Bill.

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top-security vault, Leo was sure, and she leant forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least – but at first she thought it was empty. Then she noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Leo longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.**

"What?" gasped Hermione.

"It's a miracle! She's not asking a question," said Blaise.

"shut up!" said Leo, going red.

"**Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.**

**One wild cart-ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Leo didn't know where to run first now that she had a bag full of money. She didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that she was holding more money than she'd had in her whole life – more money than even Dudley had ever had.**

"And that was one hell of a feeling," said Leo, grinning evilly.

"**Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Leo, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Leo entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.**

"Oh no," groaned Draco, understanding where this was going.

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.**

"**Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Leo started to speak. "Got the lot here – another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."**

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes.**

"You met Malfoy first?" asked Ron.

"which is why we're not friends," said Leo.

"I thought we were," said Draco.

"now, but then I thought you were an arrogant little brat," said Leo cheerfully.

**Madam Malkin stood Leo on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over her head and began to pin it to the right length.**

"**Hullo," said the boy, "Hogwarts too?"**

"No, Durmstrang," said Blaise sarcastically.

"**Yes," said Leo.**

"**My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."**

"I think we need to have a talk Draco," said Lucius quietly, and Draco shrunk into himself.

**Leo was strongly reminded of Dudley.**

"What? You take that back!" yelled Draco.

"Well, you were a bit like him when we were younger," said Leo.

"**Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.**

"**No," said Leo.**

"**Play Quidditch at all?"**

"**No," Leo said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

"What?" screamed the Quidditch nuts.

Leo was amused to see Regulus, Sirius, Draco, James and the twins pretend to die dramatically.

"Raised by Muggles," said Leo, smiling.

"**I do – Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

"No," said Ron.

"but everyone knew which house you were going to be in," added Hermione.

"**No," said Leo, feeling more stupid by the minute.**

"What! You're not stupid Leo!" said Andromeda reprimindingly, glaring at the Malfoy heir, along with his mother and father.

"**Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"**

"Oi! You little…" yelled Tonks, before being silenced by her mother. That didn't stop her from silently yelling at the boy, while everyone snickered.

"**Mmm," said Leo, wishing she could say something a bit more interesting.**

"**I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding towards the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Leo and pointing at two large ice-creams to show he couldn't come in.**

"**That's Hagrid," said Leo, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."**

"**Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

"He is not!" snapped Hermione passionately.

"Well, he sort of is," said Ron awkwardly, and Hermione shifted her glare from Draco to Ron.

"**He's the gamekeeper," said Leo. She was liking the boy less and less every second.**

"Aren't we all," sneered Angelina.

"In fact, I don't think we ever liked him in the first place," added Alicia.

"and I don't see any possibility of us liking him in the foreseeable future," finished Katie.

The twins suddenly burst into fake sobs.

"Oh Gred, can you imagine," sobbed George.

"Our girls, all grown up," finished Fred, leaning on his brothers shoulder. They were ignored, and McGonagall got back to reading

"**Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage – lives in a hut in the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

"that's mean, Drago," said Blaise.

"Drago?" asked Hermione.

"It means Dragon," explained Leo.

"Oh," said Hermione.

"**I think he's brilliant," said Leo coldly.**

"**Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"**

"**They're dead," said Leo shortly. She didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.**

"**Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all.**

"How dare you?" yelled Sirius, getting up.

Leo placed a hand on his arm, and he stopped. She firmly pulled him down, before hopping onto his lap.

"what-" said Sirius.

"You aren't going anywhere," said Leo stubbornly, and Hermione and Ginny sniggered at Leo's method of keeping Sirius in place.

"**But they were our kind, weren't they?"**

"**They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."**

"excellent answer," said Andromeda, glaring at her sister, and daring her to say otherwise.

"I don't see why it should matter really," said Leo, shrugging.

"**I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you?**

"there's another sort?" asked Hermione with a deceiving sweetness.

"It was 5 years ago," mumbled a very red Draco.

**They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"**

"you know, your attempt to make friends was rather crude," said Leo.

"it's a miracle that we ever became friends," said Blaise, frowning at the Blonde boy.

**But before Leo could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Leo, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.**

"**Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.**

**Leo was rather quiet as she ate the ice-cream Hagrid had bought her (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).**

"yum," said Ron, going dreamy eyed. He was joined by James and Regulus.

"I prefer Vanilla and mint," said Sirius, "With nuts and caramel sauce,"

"You are so weird," said Regulus.

"No, you are, for not liking it," said Sirius.

"**What's up?" said Hagrid.**

"**Nothing," Leo lied.**

"There are times when you suck at lying, and times that you are awesome," said Neville.

**They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Leo cheered up a bit when she found a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote. When they had left the shop, she said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"**

Whimpering sounds came from Regulus and Sirius.

"**Blimey, Leo, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know – not knowin' about Quidditch!"**

"**Don't make me feel worse," said Leo. She told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's.**

"– **and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in –"**

"**Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were – he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk – you saw 'em in the Leaky Cauldron. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles – look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"**

"too true," said Remus.

"It's amazing sometimes that they're even related," said Leo, shaking her head.

"**So what is Quidditch?"**

"**It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like – like football in the Muggle world – everyone follows Quidditch – played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls – sorta hard ter explain the rules."**

"no it isn't!" exclaimed all the Quidditch fans.

"**And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"**

"Houses of Hogwarts," sang Ginny.

"We know," replied Leo.

"**School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers,**

"Oi!" said Tonks, her hair going red.

**but –"**

"**I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Leo gloomily.**

"that's not a bad thing," said Tonks, "Hufflepuffs are really nice people, always loyal,"

"Not our year group," said Ron, "they turn on Leo with the drop of a hat,"

"It's annoying that everyone takes whatever side the media's on rather than using their heads and taking a good look," said Leo.

"**Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."**

"No?" said Sirius sarcastically, "I didn't know,"

"Surprise," said Leo drily.

"**Vol– sorry – You-Know-Who**

"Oh My God! You didn't say his name!" yelled Ron.

"That was back then," said Leo.

"And it's not like it ever lasted," said Hermione

**was at Hogwarts?"**

"**Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.**

"Doesn't he know it," giggled Leo.

"It's not something to laugh over," reprimanded Ginny.

"I know, but wouldn't it just annoy Voldemort that someone like Hagrid was liked more than he was,"

"Probably," giggled Hermione, catching on.

**They bought Leo's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. She most certainly was. Hagrid almost had to drag Leo away from Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and much, much more) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.**

"What? I thought Hermione had infected her,' said Ron.

"No, I always liked to read," said Leo.

"Noo," sobbed Sirius, Fred, George and Ron.

"Get over yourselves," said Andromeda absently.

"**I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."**

"I take it back," said Sirius, "that was a noble goal, and I commend you on it,"

"He only says that because he wanted to figure out how to turn me into a Puffskein and carry me around everywhere," smirked Regulus.

"Liar!" yelled Sirius.

"Aww," giggled Hermione, Ginny, and Leo.

"What? He's lying!" yelled Sirius, now going a funny shade of red.

"**I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."**

"Actually, didn't she curse Malfoy in first year?" asked Ron.

"I spent 2 months studying that book and practising, and when I hit Malfoy, I knocked him dead," smirked Leo.

"I'm so proud of you," said Sirius, putting his arms around her.

"Aww, thanks Siri," giggled Leo.

**Hagrid wouldn't let Leo buy a solid gold cauldron,**

"It would have been nice," sighed Leo, "I would have been able to show Draco up,"

"Even if you did have a Gold cauldron, you wouldn't have beat me," sneered Draco.

"Didn't her potion come better than your?" asked Hermione innocently.

Draco glared that the laughing people in the room.

**either ('It says pewter on yer list'), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the apothecary's, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell,**

"Potter, why is that you never seem to display an interest in potions?" sneered Snape.

"Well, the only reason I'm doing potions is because I'm good at it, and I like it. You do nothing to help," sneered Leo back, taking the professor aback.

"Burned," giggled Angelina.

**a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor, jars of herbs, dried roots and bright powders lined the walls, bundles of feathers, strings of fangs and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Leo, Leo herself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).**

"Price has gone up," mumbled Regulus.

**Outside the apothecary's, Hagrid checked Leo's list again.**

"**Just yer wand left – oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."**

**Leo felt herself go red.**

"Rather like she's doing now," smirked Charlie.

"shut up!" mumbled Leo, suddenly aware of the fact that she was still on Sirius' lap.

"**You don't have to –"**

"**I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at**

"I hope you don't laugh at me," growled Neville.

"We would never," said Leo, "We just laugh at your uncle for actually having a toad to give you,"

– **an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze.**

"Cause that's a god reason for not buying one," said Hermione.

"But I get Hedwig," protested Leo.

"I suppose," said Hermione, frowning.

**I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer post an' everythin'."**

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Leo now carried a large cage which held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing.**

"She really is beautiful," said Leo, stroking Hedwig.

**She couldn't stop stammering her thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.**

"Ugh, what a horrible thought," said Hermione.

"**Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now – only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."**

"True," chucked Ron.

"What would I do without my wand?" asked Leo.

"Probably punch people in the face," said Draco.

"Are you still sore over that?" asked Blaise.

"No," said Draco a little too quickly to be believed.

**A magic wand … this was what Leo had been really looking forward to.**

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.**

"Is he still claiming it's Merlin's?" asked Regulus.

"Yeah," chuckled James.

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single spindly chair which Hagrid sat on to wait. Leo felt strangely as though she had entered a very strict library; she swallowed a lot of new questions which had just occurred to her and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of her neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.**

"Wow, you must be really powerful to actually feel that," said Tonks.

"Haven't you seen her cast a stunner?" asked Neville.

"She knocked poor Colin out for a couple of days," said Ron.

"I didn't mean to," mumbled Leo, going red, while her annoying (_yes he was annoying, but somehow he still managed to look sexy_) godfather laughed quietly.

"**Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Leo jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.**

"It was still there when I went to get my wand," said Ginny.

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.**

"Still as creepy as ever," mumbled Sirius.

"Didn't you scream like a girl when he came around the corner of the shelf when we went to get your and?" asked regulus.

"No!" defended Sirius, "That was you,"

"You wish it was," said Regulus.

"Moving on," said Narcissa before the two could get into an argument.

"**Hello," said Leo awkwardly.**

"So basically how you always sound when meeting some on new," sniggered Blaise.

"I do not sound awkward!" denied Leo vehemently

"**Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Leonora Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."**

"how does he do that?" asked Angelina.

"dunno," said Most people.

"Maybe he has a perfect memory," said Remus.

"Or he keeps a log book," said Leo.

"why don't you just ask him?" asked James.

**Mr Ollivander moved closer to Leo. Leo wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.**

"**Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration.**

Remus and Sirius traded smirks at that, and Leo shook her head in amusement, while McGonagall narrowed her eyes at the two Marauders.

**Well, I say your father favoured it – it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."**

**Mr Ollivander had come so close that he and Leo were almost nose to nose. Leo could see herself reflected in those misty eyes.**

"As said before, creepy," said James.

"Do you think he's blind?" asked Hermione.

"No, he can see pretty easily," said Leo.

"**And that's where …"**

**Mr Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Leo's forehead with a long, white finger.**

"I hate it when people do that," grumbled Leo.

"**I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands … Well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do …"**

**He shook his head and then, to Leo's relief, spotted Hagrid.**

"**Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again … Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"**

"Bit of a big wand," said James.

"Hagrid is a big person," said Leo.

"**It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.**

"**Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr Ollivander, suddenly stern.**

"**Er – yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.**

"**But you don't use them?" said Mr Ollivander sharply.**

"**Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Leo noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

"Lovely way to alleviate suspicion," said Kingsley, grinning.

"**Hmmm," said Mr Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now – Ms Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"**

"**Er – well, I'm right-handed," said Leo.**

"**Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Leo from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head.**

"Does anyone know why he does that?" asked Hermione.

"He likes to keep a record of these things to see if there is a pattern in which wands go to whom," said Luna.

"Really?" asked Hermione, intrigued.

"oh yes," smiled Luna, "I asked,"

**As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Ms Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."**

"Really?" asked Ron and Neville.

"Yeah," said Hermione.

"didn't you know that?" asked Blaise.

"I used to use Charlie's old wand," said Ron, "I didn't really care,"

"Until it broke," sniggered Leo.

"I'm using my dad's," said Neville, "Gran said it would help me be more like him,"

"Augusta Longbottom is too concerned about what was rather than what is," said McGonagall, "That wand will not help you connect to your father, it will only hinder your magical learning. You need a wand that suits you, or you will get no-where,"

"Oh," said Neville, looking thoughtful.

"I will talk to your grandmother. It seems she has forgotten one of the most important rules of magic," said McGonagall.

**Leo suddenly realised that the tape measure, which was measuring between her nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.**

"**That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Ms Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."**

"not gonna work," grinned Ron.

**Leo took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once.**

"**Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try –"**

"Close but no," said Hermione.

**Leo tried – but she had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr Ollivander.**

"**No, no – here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."**

"No," said Draco

**Leo tried. And tried. She had no idea what Mr Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.**

"He likes tricky customers. He says it helps refine his research," said Remus.

"**Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere – I wonder, now – yes, why not – unusual combination – holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."**

"there we go," said Ginny, smiling.

**Leo took the wand. She felt a sudden warmth in her fingers. She raised the wand above her head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.**

"Woohoo!" cheered the Gryffindor's.

"Just cause red and gold sparks come out of my wand doesn't mean that I am automatically going to be a Gryffindor," said Leo.

"Yeah, didn't you it on the stool…" started George.

"For ages before you got sorted?" finished Fred.

"Yeah," grinned Leo.

**Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well … how curious … how very curious …"**

**He put Leo's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious … curious …"**

"what's curious," said Tonks.

"wait and see," said Leo, wondering how they were all going to take the news about her wand.

"**Sorry" said Leo, "but what's curious?"**

**Mr Ollivander fixed Leo with his pale stare.**

"**I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother – why, its brother gave you that scar."**

"What?" yelled most of the people in the room.

"why didn't you tell us?" asked Hermione.

"It never came up," mumbled Leo, shrinking into Sirius' arms.

"you could have mentioned it in passing," said Ron.

"You know, maybe say, oh hey, by the way, my wand is the brothers of the Bloody Dark Lord's!" said Draco angrily, "Why do insist on keeping secrets from us when we can help you?"

"Dunno," mumbled Leo.

"Well, there are a lot of things that are going to come out in these books," said Ginny, fixing Leo with a piercing stare.

**Leo swallowed.**

"**Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember … I think we must expect great things from you, Ms Potter … After all, He Who Must Not Be Named did great things – terrible, yes, but great."**

"Is he complimenting You-Know-Who?" asked Tonks.

"no, just the magic," said Leo.

**Leo shivered. She wasn't sure she liked Mr Ollivander too much. She paid seven gold Galleons for her wand and Mr Ollivander bowed them from his shop.**

**The late-afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Leo and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Leo didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; she didn't even notice how much people were gawping at them**

"wow, you must have had a lot on your mind," said Ron.

"Whole new world," said Hermione.

"I know, but Leo usually notices every single detail unless there's something huge on her mind," said Ginny.

"What does that mean?" asked Leo.

"Well, you did forget my birthday this year, and Ron's," said Hermione.

"What?" shrieked Leo, "Oh my god you two, I am so sorry! I've had your presents for ages!"

"really?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, I had Remus go and get them," said Leo, "I'll give them to you before we go to bed,"

"What about my present?" asked Draco and Blaise.

"I'll give you yours as well," said Leo, smiling at them.

"What about mine?" asked Sirius.

"I don't know when your birthday is," said Leo.

"And that means you actually have to admit how old you are," said Remus, smirking at his friend.

"I'm still 25, and my birthday is on the 18th of June," said Sirius, glaring at the smirking werewolf.

"Well, I'll have to get you a present then," said Leo, frowning with thought.

**on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the sleeping snowy owl on Leo's lap. Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Leo only realised where they were when Hagrid tapped her on the shoulder.**

"**Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.**

**He bought Leo a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Leo kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.**

"It always does after you come out of Diagon Alley," said Katie, smiling.

"**You all right, Leo? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.**

**Leo wasn't sure she could explain. She'd just had the best birthday of her life – and yet – she chewed her hamburger, trying to find the words.**

"**Everyone thinks I'm special," she said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr Ollivander … but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol – sorry – I mean, the night my parents died."**

"I still feel funny every time someone looks at me like I'm the next best thing since Merlin," said Leo, "It's like they expect more from me than what I have,"

"Well, they're all stupid nut cases," said Sirius.

"Well, you can't talk," said Regulus, "but he's right. They don't know you, so they only go on the rumour mill,"

Leo smiled, and McGonagall continued on.

**Hagrid leant across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.**

"**Don' you worry Leo. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts – I did – still do, 'smatter of fact."**

"Hagrid's always loads of fun," said the twins.

**Hagrid helped Leo on to the train that would take her back to the Dursleys, then handed her an envelope.**

"**Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September – King's Cross – it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me … See yeh soon, Leo."**

"wait! He didn't tell you how to get onto the platform," said Remus, starting to hyperventilate.

"Calm down moony," said Sirius, "She got on,"

"How do you know?" asked Remus.

"Well, she did do first year," said Sirius.

"I got on," smiled Leo, "I had some help though,"

The Weasley's shared a smile. Remus calmed down, and motioned for McGonagall to continue.

"dies that happen often?" asked Leo.

"Yeah, he has a panic attack every now and then," said Sirius, "That's how we know he isn't some kind of calm controlled machine,"

"I heard that," growled Remus.

"I know," said Sirius.

**The train pulled out of the station. Leo wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; she rose in her seat and pressed her nose against the window, but she blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"He's not supposed to use magic," said Mad-eye.

"Oh calm down Mad-eye," said Tonks.

"You know, it's getting kind of late," said Andromeda.

"Why don't we go to bed," suggested Narcissa.

"What?" yelled the teens, "Please, one more chapter?"

After several minutes of pleading, the adults relented, and allowed them to read one more chapter.

"Yes," said Leo, "so what's next"

""The chapter's titled Journey from Platform 9 and three-quarters," said Kingsley, putting on a pair of glasses.

"I didn't know you needed glasses King," said Tonks.

"I've always used them," said Kingsley.

"Don't we learn something new every day," said Sirius.

"You need them too," said Remus.

"Really?" asked Leo.

"Regulus and Sirius both have troubles with their eyes, and no amount of potions or spells can fix it," said Andromeda, grinning slightly.

"Thank you Andy," grumbled Regulus.

"Didn't you need glasses Leo?" asked Angelina.

"I used a potion at the end of second year cause I was sick of them," said Leo.

"Lucky," said Sirius.

"I'm stuck with glasses too," said James, "And I can't get it corrected,"

"I understand your pain," said Sirius.

"Actually, all the girls think I look cool," said James, "But I can't wear them all the time or I'll start to feel dizzy,"

"Boys," sighed Leo, shaking her head.

"So why don't we continue," said Hermione, wanting to find out what happened next.

"Alright," said Kingsley, and he settled back to read.

"The journey from Platform 9 and three-quarters,"

**Hope you liked it!**

**By the way, I have started a new fanfic called Karaoke night. Please go and visit!**

**Anyway, Please R&R**

**Arana'a**


	10. Platform nine and three quarters

**Hi!**

**I am so sorry for not updating sooner, but I have been caught up.**

**This is the next chapter, so I won't stay long, and I'll let you read.**

**However, thanks to all those people who reviewed!**

"Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters" read Kingsley.

"I can't believe they gave a this a whole chapter," said Ron

"Well, a lot happened," said Leo

"I guess," said Ron.

"Can I read now?" asked Kingsley.

"Go for it," said Ron cheerfully, and the man gave him a glare.

**Leo's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of Leo he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Leo in her cupboard, force her to do anything or shout at her – in fact, they didn't speak to her at all. Half-terrified, half-furious, they acted as though any chair with Leo in it was empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.**

"I know how you feel," said Sirius, who was still holding Leo in his lap. He hoped desperately that she wouldn't leave, but there was a part of him that wished she would, because this was torture.

"It's awful, but I'm used to it now," shrugged Leo.

**Leo kept to her room, with her new owl for company. She had decided to call her Hedwig, a name she had found in A History of Magic.**

"What?" asked Ron, "You read it?"

"Well, I had nothing else to do," said Leo, "Usually I have more work,"

"What they had you doing is not work," said Remus.

"Its slave labour," added Sirius.

**Her school books were very interesting.**

"What?" shrieked Ginny.

"You take that back!" said Sirius, "There is no way they are interesting,"

"You seemed to enjoy them when you were reading them," said Regulus slyly, and Sirius made a hushing motion towards his brother.

"That would make you a hypocrite," said Leo, grinning at her godfather.

"I can't believe you," said Draco.

"You always make me do your work for you," said Hermione, cutting through Draco's protest.

"Well, I usually busy saving the school, and solving the latest mystery," said Leo.

"Or brooding about the horrible regime of the toad," grinned Ron.

"Well, someone has to resist her, or she'll take over the whole school, and turn everyone into little toad-obeying minions that will eventually take over the world for her," said Leo dramatically, causing several people to laugh, " should have gone into acting," said Leo, grinning.

"You certainly have enough practise," said Hermione.

"Whatever," mumbled Leo.

**She lay on her bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to hoover anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.**

"Eww," said Ginny, "Thank heavens Pig doesn't do that,"

"Well, Hedwig stopped that after I told her I didn't like it," said Leo, smiling fondly at her owl.

"Hey Leo," said Sirius.

"Hmm," said Leo.

"Do you mind getting Hedwig to sit somewhere else. She keeps glaring at me,"

"Why is she glaring at you?" asked Leo.

"I don't know, but she is," said Sirius, involved in a rather heated glaring contest with the owl. To his shame, Hedwig won.

"Really, Sirius, you should know better than to glare at an owl," sniggered Regulus.

**Every night before she went to sleep, Leo ticked off another day on the piece of paper she had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.**

"I did that too," said Draco, Sirius, Regulus, Remus, Hermione, James, and , surprisingly, Severus.

"I feel like I truly belong now," Leo fake sniffled.

**On the last day of August she thought she'd better speak to her aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station next day, so she went down to the living-room, where they were watching a quiz show on television. She cleared her throat to let them know she was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.**

This caused a burst of laughter in the room, as everyone imagined the fat big tearing from the room squealing with terror.

"**Er – Uncle Vernon?"**

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

"**Er – I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to – to go to Hogwarts."**

**Uncle Vernon grunted again.**

"**Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"**

**Grunt. Leo supposed that meant yes.**

"Wow, Leo, I didn't know you could speak troll," said Neville.

"It's a gift come from years of living in the same house as Vernon Dursley," said Leo.

"**Thank you."**

**She was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.**

"**Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"**

"His humour sucks," said Fred, shaking his head.

"Perhaps we ought to give him a lesson Freddie," grinned George.

"Sounds like a god idea," said Sirius, grinning.

**Leo didn't say anything.**

"**Where is this school, anyway?"**

"**I don't know," said Leo, realising this for the first time. She pulled the ticket Hagrid had given her out of her pocket.**

"**I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," she read.**

**Her aunt and uncle stared.**

"Petunia knows perfectly well where the platform is," said Severus, sneering.

How do you know?" asked Leo.

"I lived near them when I went to Hogwarts," said Snape coldly, glaring at the girl.

"**Platform what?"**

"**Nine and three-quarters."**

"**Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "there is no platform nine and three-quarters."**

"Yes there is," sang Ginny.

"And we've seen it," said Hermione.

"**It's on my ticket."**

"**Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."**

"**Why are you going to London?" Leo asked, trying to keep things friendly.**

"No point in that," said Sirius.

"Well, the friendlier they are, the less work I get," said Leo. The threat of a beating went unspoken.

"**Taking Dudley to hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smelting's."**

"I wonder what they told the doctor," said Katie, smiling.

**Leo woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. She got up and pulled on her jeans because she didn't want to walk into the station in her witches robes – she'd change on the train.**

"Hagrid should have told you all of this," said McGonagall, frowning.

"Well, I didn't cause any mass accidents," said Leo.

"That changed after you got to Hogwarts," said Hermione, chuckling.

"Why are you always laughing?" asked Ron, "It's like you've been hit with a cheering charm,"

"I don't know," said Hermione, "I just feel happy,"

"Perhaps she's been into the coffee," said Ginny.

"Or the drugs," grinned Leo.

"I do not take drugs," said Hermione.

"Sure Mya," said Ron, grinning at his best friend. He yelped when she chucked a rather hard book at him.

"Where did the book come from?" asked Draco.

"It's Granger," said Blaise, "No-one needs to ask,"

**She checked her Hogwarts list yet again to make sure she had everything she needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two hours later, Leo's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Leo and they had set off.**

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Leo's trunk on to a trolley and wheeled it into the station for her.  
**"Don't trust him!" said Regulus, "He's being out of character, so it's a trap,"

"Why didn't you join the auror's boy?" asked Mad-eye, making some people jump, as they had forgotten he was there.

"I was on the other side," said Regulus, shrugging.

"Why?" asked Mad-eye.

"Family values," said Regulus and Sirius at the same time.

**Leo thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.**

"**Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine – platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"**

"That's just mean!" said Angelina, glaring at the book.

"Well, he has a small mean spirit, and two brain cells to go with it," said George.

"His size makes up for what he lacks in intelligence," said Fred.

"Boys," chastened Molly, though her usual fire wasn't in it. She really didn't like Leo's Uncle.

"They can't help it Mrs Weasley," said Leo, "It's the truth,"

**He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.**

"We don't want the muggles to find us," said Tonks.

"I know that now," said Leo.

"**Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Leo turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing.**

"How dare they!" growled Remus.

"Want to join us?" asked Sirius.

"Join what?" asked Leo.

"The 'Destroy Leo's relatives' club," said Draco.

"That name sucks," said Blaise, "Try the revenge squad,"

"Lame!" said Ginny, "What about the Death-to-the-Dursleys campaign?"

"Nah," said Fred.

"How about the prank patrol?"

"No," said Leo, giggling madly.

"What's so funny?" asked Fred and George in unison.

"There's a Muggle TV show called the Prank Patrol," said Hermione, "they do harmless pranks that aren't very good,"

"Alright then," said Sirius, "How about the…"

"Why don't you come up with a name afterwards, and let us finish reading?" asked Mad-eye irritably.

**Leo's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was she going to do? She was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. She'd have to ask someone.**

**She stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Leo couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Leo was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Leo asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time-wasters. Leo was now trying hard not to panic.**

"Remember the last time she panicked?" asked Ginny.

"That was before the Yule Ball," said Draco.

"I remember that," said Blaise, "She kept trying to run away because she was afraid everyone might hex her for going with a slytherin,"

"Or take her to St Mungo's because she was going with the ferret," said Ginny.

"Oi!" yelled Leo and Draco, causing the two to laugh at their red faces.

"And to think, she was worried about her hair not behaving," sniggered Hermione.

"What about when she thought she was an hour late to the potions exam?" smirked Ron.

"That wouldn't have happened if yu had left my clock alone," growled Leo.

"It was worth seeing you try t write a will and pack your bag and get to class at the same time," sad Neville.

"Shut up," mumbled Leo, now resembling a tomato.

**According to the large clock over the arrivals board, she had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and she had no idea how to do it; she was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk she could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money and a large owl.**

"You are so pessimistic," said Hermione.

"I am not," protested Leo, "I'm us realistic,"

"That's just another word for pessimistic," said Tonks, "Mad-eye's the same,"

"That's why I have survived so long," growled Mad-eye.

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell her something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. She wondered if she should get out her wand and start tapping the ticket box between platforms nine and ten.**

"No, that would just set off the alarm," said Remus.

"How would you know?" asked Charlie.

"James dared Sirius to do it once," said Remus, "And the whole barrier locked down,"

"We almost missed the train," said Sirius, wincing.

"And he had to endure an hour of Mrs Potter's lecturing," said Remus, smirking at his friend.

"Oh, poor you Sirius," giggled Leo.

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind her and she caught a few words of what they were saying.**

"– **Packed with Muggles, of course –"**

"Who is that?" asked McGonagall.

"Wait and see," said Leo and Ron.

**Leo swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair.**

"Oh, it's us," said Bill.

"No it's the other red haired family that attends Hogwarts," said Hermione.

"Really?" asked Bill.

"Everything I knew was a lie!" interrupted Charlie dramatically, "We're not the only red-heads that attend Hogwarts,"

"Well, there's Hannah abbot, and Susan Bones," started Neville.

"Then there's Tracy Davis, and Marietta Edgecombe," said Ginny.

"Alright, I get the picture," said Charlie.

**Each of them was pushing a trunk like Leo's in front of him – and they had an owl.**

**Heart hammering, Leo pushed her trolley after them. They stopped and so did she, just near enough to hear what they were saying.**

"Eavesdropping Leo?" asked Draco, shaking his head in mock rebuke.

"It's not like you haven't done it," said Leo.

"I'm a Slytherin," said Draco arrogantly, as if that explained everything.

"Which also means you're a stuck up little brat who likes to put down those he believes to be his inferior," said Hermione.

"I am not!" said Draco.

"Didn't you say you were a Slytherin," said Hermione sweetly.

"What about me?" asked Blaise.

"There's an exception to every rule," said Hermione.

"And Dobby was one of them," said Ron.

"So could you forget SPEW?" leaded Leo.

"It is not Spew!" said Hermione heatedly, "It's the Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare,"

"You know, there's no need for that," said Draco.

"And why is that?" asked Hermione.

"Because House elves are the bossiest creatures, and if they didn't like where they were working, they would start to misbehave," said Sirius, "they're really good at finding loopholes,"

"Which is why most thieves use house elves," said Tonks, "Just give the little buggers a law, and they'll have a loophole in no time,"

"What about Dobby then?" asked Leo.

"Some house elves like self-harm," said Narcissa, "They don't believe they've done a good job unless they're punished for things they haven't done well,"

"Dobby was absolutely nuts," said Draco, "Used to hang himself in the parlour saying he wasn't a good elf,"

"So could you give up Spew now?" asked Leo.

"Besides, if we treated House elves like punching bags, they wouldn't do any work,." Sad Sirius.

"What about Kreacher?" asked Hermione desperately.

"He doesn't do the work anyway, insults everyone in the house, and he's as old as they come," said Sirius, "Besides, it's not like I've ordered him to clean or anything,"

"Kreacher is still alive?" asked Narcissa.

"And still as cranky as ever," said Sirius.

"Can I read now?" asked Kingsley.

"Go for it," said Sirius.

"**Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.**

"You forgot?" asked Regulus.

"No, she's making sure we don't forget," said Charlie and Bill at once.

"She does the same thing every year," said Ron.

"**Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand. "Mum, can't I go …"**

"Aww, you're so cute Gin-gin," cooed Charlie.

"Shut up," growled Ginny, as she went a flaming red.

"**You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."**

**What looked like the oldest boy marched towards platforms nine and ten. Leo watched, careful not to blink in case she missed it**

"Two galleons says she'll miss," said Neville.

"No bet," said Luna, "Leo has awful luck,"

– **but just as the boy reached the divide between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of her, and by the time the last rucksack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.**

"Hah!" sniggered Draco.

"You can't laugh Drake," said Blaise, "You had a panic attack when you were told to run at the barrier,"

"I did not!" said Draco, "what is this, pick on Draco Day?"

"No, that's next week," said Hermione, "we're just practising,"

"Oh ha-ha," said Draco, "Very funny.

"**Fred, you next," the plump woman said.**

"**I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly woman, call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"**

"Boys, don't be mean to your mother," said Arthur.

"But what will we do for fun?" wailed Fred and George.

"You can clean the house," said molly, smiling sweetly.

"Uhh, no thanks mum," said Fred.

"We're fine," added George.

"**Sorry, George, dear."**

"**Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done, because a second later, he had gone – but how had he done it?**

"Magic," said James.

"No I thought it was science," said Leo.

"What's science?" asked James.

"I never told you?" asked Leo.

"Just kidding mum," chuckled James.

**Now the third brother was walking briskly towards the ticket barrier – he was almost there – and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.**

**There was nothing else for it.**

"No! She's doing the unthinkable! Some one stop her!" said Draco.

"Shut up ferret!" growled Ron.

"Why do you always call him Ferret?" asked Tonks.

"It's a very funny story that involves polyjuice and transfiguration," grinned Leo.

Draco glared at her.

"**Excuse me," Leo said to the plump woman.**

"**Hullo, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."**

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet and a long nose.**

"Aww, thanks Leo," said Ron sarcastically.

"No problem," said Leo.

"I shudder to think what my description will be like," said Hermione.

"Probably something resembling a beaver," said Draco, he ducked the sudden hex that came his way, "Alright, I'm sorry,"

"Fine, but if you say it again, I'll make you a red-headed eunuch," threatened Hermione, causing Draco to pale dramatically.

"**Yes," said Leo. "The thing is – the thing is, I don't know how to–"**

"**How to get on to the platform?" she said kindly, and Leo nodded.**

"**Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."**

"**Er – OK," said Leo.**

**She pushed her trolley round and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.**

"That's the point," said Sirius.

"I know that now," said Leo.

**She started to walk towards it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Leo walked more quickly. She was going to smash right into that ticket box and then she'd be in trouble – leaning forward on her trolley she broke into a heavy run – the barrier was coming nearer and nearer – she wouldn't be able to stop – the trolley was out of control – she was a foot away – she closed her eyes ready for the crash –**

"Which doesn't come," said Remus.

"I know," said Leo, now looking around the same colour as her skirt.

**It didn't come … she kept on running … she opened her eyes.**

**A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. Leo looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the ticket box had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. She had done it.**

"Well done!" said Charlie.

"Thank you," said Leo, taking a bow from Sirius' lap.

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to each other in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.**

**The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Leo pushed her trolley off down the platform in search of an empty seat. She passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."**

"Hi Neville!" said Leo brightly.

"Oh Merlin, It's Leonora Potter! Can I touch your scar?" babbled Neville in mock enthusiasm.

"And that was how it should have gone," said Ron.

"But it didn't," said Hermione.

"**Oh, Neville," she heard the old woman sigh.**

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.**

"**Give us a look, Lee, go on."**

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.**

"Eughh," said Ron, shuddering.

"What happened to it?" asked Leo.

Well, it ended up as food for Crookshanks," said Fred.

"We didn't even have enough for a funeral," said George.

**Leo pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave her trunk towards the train door. She tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice she dropped it painfully on her foot.**

"You alright?" asked Sirius.

"This was five years ago," reminded Leo.

"I knew that," said Sirius sheepishly.

"I'm sure you did," said Regulus, smirking at his brother. When Sirius glared, his smirk only grew.

"**Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins she'd followed through the ticket box.**

"**Yes, please," Leo panted.**

"**Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!"**

**With the twins' help, Leo's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.**

"**Thanks," said Leo, pushing her sweaty hair out of her eyes.**

"**What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Leo's lightning scar.**

"It's a love heart tattoo," said Leo.

"**Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you –?"**

"**She is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Leo.**

"**What?" said Leo.**

"**Leonora Potter," chorused the twins.**

"**Oh, her," said Leo. "I mean, yes, I am."**

"Oh her," snorted Draco, before doubling over in laughter.

"You really need to think before you talk," said Blaise.

"Shut up," said Leo, going red again.

"You know, she's spending most of the time red," said Hermione.

"Perhaps it's all the cute guys," said Ginny.

"What?" shrieked Leo, "You take that back! That would be like me hitting on Ron!"

"You are so easy to rile up," giggled Ginny.

"Don't you find us attractive?" asked Draco.

"You're cute in a brotherly kind of way, but I don't like you like that," said Leo, wrinkling her nose, and she didn't notice the small sigh of relief that Sirius gave

**The two boys gawped at him and Leo felt himself going red. Then, to her relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.**

There were sniggers at the twins at this.

"**Fred? George? Are you there?"**

"**Coming, Mum."**

**With a last look at Leo, the twins hopped off the train.**

"We wanted a final parting look, before our hopes were dashed when we discovered she was just a scrawny specky little girl," said George dramatically.

"And we wanted to see that innocence that lasted right up until after the sorting," said Fred.

"Oh shut up," mumbled Leo, going red again.

**Leo sat down next to the window where, half-hidden, she could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.**

"**Ron, you've got something on your nose."**

"You were told before," said Hermione exasperatedly.

"Oh leave him be," said Leo, "You know that's never going to change,"

"Oi!" said Ron, looking annoyed. The room filled with laughter.

**The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.**

"**Mum – geroff." He wriggled free.**

"**Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.**

"Shut up," grumbled Ron, now the same shade of red as his hair.

"**Shut up," said Ron.**

"Echo!" giggled Ginny. She ducked the pillow Ron sent at her.

"**Where's Percy?" said their mother.**

"**He's coming now."**

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes and Leo noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.**

"Three guesses what that is," said Ron sarcastically.

"**Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the Prefects have got two compartments to themselves –"**

"**Oh, are you a Prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."**

"**Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once –"**

"**Or twice –"**

"**A minute –"**

"**All summer –"**

"You guys are good," laughed Sirius, almost toppling Leo.

"Hey! Watch it!" said Leo, pushing him back.

"Ah, the joys of laughter," said James.

"You sound like Dumbledore," said Hermione.

"I know," said James,

"**Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.**

"Percy the prefect?" asked Charlie, amusement evident in his voice.

"I was eleven," said Leo.

"And naive," said Hermione.

"**How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.**

"**Because he's a Prefect," said their mother fondly.**

"That's favouritism molly," said Sirius.

"I don't remember buying new robes for Percy," said Molly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Fred.

"We spent the whole day looking for them," said George.

"I honestly don't remember," said Molly, "do you Arthur?"

"No," said Arthur, shaking his head.

"Maybe a memory charm," suggested McGonagall

"But why?" asked Ron.

"I don't know," said McGonagall, "But it doesn't look good,"

Kingsley read on, while the two upset parents tried to remember the day. Percy wisely kept shut. He only remembered getting them as a surprise.

"**All right, dear, well, have a good term – send me an owl when you get there."**

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.**

"**Now, you two – this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've – you've blown up a toilet or –"**

"Don't give them ideas," said Snape, looking pale.

"Never give prankster ideas," agreed Remus.

"**Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."**

"**Great idea though, thanks, Mum."**

"**It's not funny. And look after Ron."**

"**Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."**

"Oh joy," said Ron, and Leo and Hermione nodded in sympathy.

"It's never a good thing," said Ginny.

"**Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.**

"Annoying how he's taller than us," grumbled George.

"Well, you always were midgets," said Angelina. The twins stared at her.

"Well done," said Katie, smirking at the twins.

"**Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"**

**Leo leant back quickly so they couldn't see her looking.**

"**You know that black-haired girl who was near us in the station? Know who she is?"**

"**Who?"**

"**Leonora Potter!"**

**Leo heard the little girl's voice.**

"The annoying fan girl," teased Leo. She ducked the hex sent by Ginny, and it hit Sirius.

"Oi!" said Sirius, as his hair turned blue, and he started to sprout pink boils.

Leo laughed at the sight of his predicament, followed soon by the rest of the room. Sirius crossed his arms and pouted which only made them laugh even more.

"You look…so funny," gasped James through his laughter.

"**Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see her, Mum, oh please …"**

"**You've already seen her, Ginny and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is she really, Fred? How do you know?"**

"**Asked her. Saw her scar. It's really there – like lightning."**

"Like lightning? Really?" gasped Fred.

"Can we see it? Can we touch it?" gasped Fred.

"Oh shut up you two," said Angelina.

"**Poor dear – no wonder she was alone. I wondered. She was ever so polite when she asked how to get on to the platform."**

"**Never mind that, do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"**

"Now see here," started Sirius.

"Years ago paddy," said Remus.

"But still…" mumbled Sirius, causing Leo to laugh.

**Their mother suddenly became very stern.**

"**I forbid you to ask her, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though she needs reminding of that on her first day at school."**

"I agree," said Sirius, smiling at Molly.

"Sirius," said Leo.

"Yeah?"

"Don't smile," she said, "You're teeth are purple,"

"fine,' grumbled Sirius, and the next instant, he was back to normal.

"how did you do that?" asked Fred.\

"the spell was from a prank book in the library, right?" asked Remus.

"yeah," said Ginny.

"We wrote it," said Sirius, "And invented most of the spells,"

"Really?" asked George and Fred at once.

"Yeah," said Remus.

"cool," breathed the twins.

"**All right, keep your hair on."**

**A whistle sounded.**

"**Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered on to the train. They leant out of the window for her to kiss them goodbye and their younger sister began to cry.**

"Aww, you're so cute," cooed Leo, Hermione, Tonks and Draco (although Draco was a bit teasing)

"Shut up," said Ginny, now the same shade of red as her hair.

"**Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."**

"**We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."**

"**George!"**

"**Only joking, Mum."**

"No they're not," murmured Leo to Sirius.

**The train began to move. Leo saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed; and then she fell back and waved.**

**Leo watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Leo felt a great leap of excitement. She didn't know what she was going to – but it had to be better than what she was leaving behind.**

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.**

"Coincidence?" asked Leo.

"Well, maybe," said Ron, going red.

"**Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Leo. "Everywhere else is full."**

"No it wasn't," muttered Draco.

"Shut up," growled Ginny

**Leo shook her head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Leo and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Leo saw he still had a black mark on his nose.**

"Why do you have to be so observant?" grumbled Ron.

"Because otherwise, she wouldn't be Leo," said Luna.

"**Hey Ron."**

**The twins were back.**

"**Listen, we're going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."**

"**Right," mumbled Ron.**

"**Leo," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."**

"**Bye," said Leo and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.**

"**Are you really Leo Potter?" Ron blurted out.**

"Ron!" said Hermione hitting him on the arm.

**Leo nodded.**

"**Oh – well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes,"**

"It's likely," said Bill and Charlie in unison.

**Said Ron. "And have you really got – you know …"**

**He pointed at Leo's forehead.**

**Leo pulled back her fringe to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.**

"Ron!" snapped Mrs Weasley, swelling like a bullfrog.

"**So that's where You-Know-Who –?"**

"**Yes," said Leo, "but I can't remember it."**

"**Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.**

"Didn't I tell you not to ask?" said Mrs Weasley.

"Technically, you told Fred and George," said Ron, cowering.

"He's really good at finding loopholes," said Hermione to Neville.

"Then he should go into law," said Neville.

"**Well – I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."**

"Wish it had stayed like that," mumbled Leo, looking put out.

"Don't worry mate, it'll go," said Ron.

"I hope so," mumbled Leo.

"**Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Leo for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realised what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.**

"He noticed," gasped Hermione.

"You know how you have that little voice in the back of your head telling you what you should and shouldn't do?" asked Ron.

"Yeah," was the general reply.

"Mine sounds like Hermione," said Ron.

"Which is why he doesn't listen to it," said Leo, grinning.

"And that is why he has no tact," said Ginny.

"**Are all your family wizards?" asked Leo, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found her.**

"Really?" asked the Weasley boys, all sporting red ears.

"Yeah," said Leo.

"**Er – yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

"That's rude," mumbled Katie.

"Well, he said he doesn't want anything to do with us, so we don't talk to him," said Bill.

"It's not like it's our fault," said Charlie.

"When it's you Charlie, it generally is," said Tonks.

"Oi!" said Charlie, causing the metamorphmagus to laugh. She didn't notice the jealous werewolf sitting next to her slowly going green with envy.

"**So you must know loads of magic already."**

"Yeah, loads," snorted Neville.

"Shut up," mumbled Ron.

**The Weasley's were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.**

"They are not!" snapped Lucius and Draco at once.

"I know that now," sighed Leo exasperatedly.

"He was talking about stuck up snobby purebloods that drink tea like it's the reason they're alive," said Hermione, sticking her nose up in the air.

"Actually, I drink coffee," said Blaise.

"You're Italian, you don't count," said Ginny.

"**I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"**

"Horrible, fat pigs that need to learn a lesson," growled Sirius.

"Disgusting creatures that should be killed for the sake of humanity," said Regulus.

"Magnificent idea," said Sirius and Andromeda at once.

"Right after you deal with the paperwork," said Narcissa.

"Fine," grumbled her sister and cousins.

"**Horrible – well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."**

"Wish I didn't," mumbled James.

"You only have two," said Leo.

"There's teddy," said James. He wouldn't say any more on the topic, but he did snuggle in closer to Leo, causing the girl to smile.

"**Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left – Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a Prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand and Percy's old rat."**

"Oh, Ron…" said Molly, her eyes full of tears.

"I don't feel like that anymore," said Ron, having shrunk into his seat, and his face having gone the same shade of red as his hair.

"But we shouldn't have made you feel like that," said Arthur.

"It doesn't matter," mumbled Ron.

"But it does," said the twins, frowning.

Ron yelped as the entire Weasley clan descended on him, and trapped him in a huddle. He found himself being held by each of his brothers (even Percy) and decided that it would probably be easier to stay where he was. Peeking out, he saw most of the female occupants(those who knew him) cooing at the sight. Although Hermione and Leo were teasing.

"We didn't mean it," murmured his family, and Ron felt sudden warmth fill him.

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.**

There was a growl from Sirius and Remus at this.

"**His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a Prefect, but they couldn't aff – I mean, I got Scabbers instead."**

"The amount of fussing happening in the huddle made of the Weasley's suddenly increased.

"Please let go!" came Ron's rather muffled voice, "I need to breathe!"

There was a slight round of sniggers.

**Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.**

**Leo didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, she'd never had any money in her life until a month ago, and she told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.**

"Did not!" came Ron's voice.

"I know," smiled Leo.

"Thank Merlin we don't do that," whispered James to Leo.

"Why?" asked Leo.

"Our family, included extended, is way bigger," said James, "I'd get crushed,"

"… **and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort –"**

**Ron gasped.**

"Ah the days when it was still a shock," said Angelina wistfully.

"What do you mean?" asked Remus.

"Leo uses You-Know-Who's name like it's nothing," said Katie, "It's stopped shocking us. The first year's get over it soon enough,"

"Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing," said Hermione

"**What?" said Leo.**

"**You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people –"**

"I wish you of all people wouldn't," said Ginny, "It sends chills up my spine,"

"Sorry Gin, but I'm not going to stop," said Leo firmly.

"**I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Leo. "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn … I bet," she added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying her a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."**

"Yeah right," snored Neville.

"She's one of the best," said Luna.

"And she does it without trying," said Hermione, looking put out.

"**You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."**

"True," said Blaise.

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.**

There were smiles all around the room as people remembered their own train rides to Hogwarts.

**Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"**

**Leo, who hadn't had any breakfast,**

"They shouldn't starve you," growled Sirius.

"I was fine," said Leo, going red.

She suddenly realised that she was still in his lap.

'_Oh great,'_ she thought, '_you know, this is actually kinda nice,_'

**Leapt to her feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Leo went out into the corridor.**

**She had never had any money for sweets with the Dursleys and now that she had pockets rattling with gold and silver she was ready to buy as many Mars Bars**

"What's a Mars Bar?" asked Draco.

"It's a Muggle sweet. It's some fudge covered with caramel and coated with chocolate," smiled Leo.

"Sounds good," said Draco.

"It is," said Hermione, Katie and Leo at once.

**As she could carry – but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bertie Bolt's Every-Flavour Beans, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and a number of other strange things Leo had never seen in her life. Not wanting to miss anything, she got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.**

"Price has gone up," mumbled Regulus.

**Ron stared as Leo brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it on to an empty seat.**

"**Hungry, are you?"**

"**Starving,"**

"I thought you were joking," said Ron.

**Said Leo, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.**

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."**

"What?" asked Mrs Weasley, "then who does.

"I do mum," said Charlie.

"And he's the only one," added the twins.

"I'm sorry dear," said Mrs Weasley.

"It's alright mum," smiled Ron.

"**Swap you for one of these," said Leo, holding up a pasty. "Go on–"**

"**You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."**

"Cept Bill and Charlie left home," said Ginny.

"We have jobs," said Bill, looking indignant.

"I'm sure you do," smiled Ginny absently.

"**Go on, have a pasty," said Leo, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Leo's pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).**

"Of course they would be," said Andromeda, smiling.

"**What are these?" Leo asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" She was starting to feel that nothing would surprise her.**

"That lasted right till we got to Hogwarts," smiled Leo.

"Hogwarts still surprises me," said Hermione, pouting slightly. She didn't notice the rather glazed look she was getting from Draco

"**No," said Ron. "But see what the card is, I'm missing Agrippa."**

"Mooney has it," said Sirius.

"Mooney?" asked Fred and George at once.

"Sirius has been calling him that since we first came here," said Leo.

"You're Moony?" asked Fred, looking at Remus with awe.

"As in the famous marauder Moony?" continued George.

"Yes," said Remus warily, "And that's Padfoot," he pointed at Sirius.

"Our Idols!"

"Our inspiration!"

"Masters-"

"Gods-"

"Of Pranking!"

We worship-"

"Adore!"

"Idolise you!"

"We kneel-"

"Prostrate!"

"Ourselves before you!"

"Teach us your ways, Oh Great Ones!" they said in unison, prostrating themselves on the floor

"Oh no," sighed McGonagall.

"How did you know about us?" asked Sirius, although he looked rather smug.

"They nicked the Marauders Map from Filch's office," said Leo, "And now I have it,"

"It's yours by right anyway," smiled Remus.

"Why?" asked Fred.

"Prongs is my dad," said Leo, smirking. She regretted it a moment later when the twins threw themselves at her.

"A marauder Legacy," said George.

"Boys, leave her alone," said Mrs Weasley.

"You know, I've never been called a god," mused Sirius.

"Yes you have," said Remus, "It was a common affliction of your admirers,"

"Why don't we continue," said Hermione.

"And let the five of them work at it later," said Ron, smirking at his brothers.

"You knew!" accused Fred.

Kingsley started to read before an argument could occur.

"**What?"**

"**Oh, of course, you wouldn't know – Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect – Famous Witches and Wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."**

**Leo unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long crooked nose and flowing silver hair, beard and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.**

"That one is so common," said Leo.

"Do you think he's done that on purpose?" asked Ginny.

"Who?" asked Hermione.

"Dumbledore," said Luna, "Do you think he's got extra cards for a reason?"

"Maybe," said Leo, thinking about it.

"Because, almost every child collects chocolate frog cards, so they would all know about him," said Ron.

"**So this is Dumbledore!" said Leo.**

"**Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa – thanks –"**

**Leo turned over her card and read:**

**Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.**

"On the back of a chocolate frog cards," moaned Leo.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sirius.

"This doesn't have anything to do with your weird desire to study over the Christmas break back in first year?" asked Neville.

"You studied during Christmas?" asked Sirius and Regulus in unison, both looking horrified.

"We had a good reason," said Ron.

**Leo turned the card back over and saw, to her astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.**

"Well, you can't expect him to stay all the time," said Narcissa.

"Muggle pictures don't move," said Sirius.

"Really?" asked Lucius, intrigued despite himself.

"**He's gone!"**

"**Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her … do you want it? You can start collecting."**

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.**

"Always thinking about your stomach," sighed Hermione.

"What?" asked Ron, a half-eaten sandwich in hand.

"Never mind," sighed Hermione, while the others sniggered.

"**Help yourself," said Leo. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."**

"**Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"**

**Leo stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on her card and gave her a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Leo couldn't keep her eyes off them.**

"I know what you mean," smiled Hermione.

"It's just so strange," said Leo, "Well it was," she amended when she saw the looks she was getting.

**Soon she had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcraft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus and Merlin. She finally tore her eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bolt's Every-Flavour Beans.**

"**You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Leo. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour – you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once."**

"I did," said an indignant George.

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully and bit into a corner.**

"**Bleaaargh – see? Sprouts."**

"You should always eat your sprouts," said Leo with a straight face, before all the teenagers burst into laughter.

**They had a good time eating the Every-Flavour Beans. Leo got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny grey one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.**

"Lucky," said Neville.

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers and dark green hills.**

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Leo had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.**

"I did not!" protested Neville.

"Sure Nev," smirked Ron.

"You shouldn't talk," said Neville, "I know things about you that would make Skeeter jump,"

"Fine," said Ron, although he was looking pasty.

"**Sorry" he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"**

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"**

"**He'll turn up," said Leo, smiling sympathetically.**

"**Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him …"**

"**Why don't you go and see a prefect," suggested Ron.**

"**They'll probably know a spell or something that will help you," added Leo.**

**The boy smiled and left.**

"You two are so sweet," cooed Mrs Weasley.

"**Don't know why he's so bothered. Toads can't do much," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."**

"That's mean Ron," said Neville.

"I was eleven," said Ron, going red.

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.**

"**He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting,**

"I don't think you could make him interesting at all," sneered Leo.

**But the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look …"**

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.**

"Why do you have Charlies wand?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"Because that's all I got," shrugged Ron.

"But that's dangerous," said Mr Weasley.

"I think you should be checked for mind-inducing spells and potions," said Kingsley, "It's obvious that you're having two different personalities,"

"I think that would be a good idea," said Leo, "And I think everyone should go,"

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"Well we're all here because we're important," said Leo, "So it makes sense that whoever is manipulating the Weasley's would try and do the same for the rest of us,"

"The girl is right," grunted Mad-eye, "It makes sense,"

"But for now, let's not judge people on what we see in the books," said Leo, "We did a lot of things without knowing what was actually true,"

"That is a good point," said Hermione.

"**Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway –"**

**He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toad less boy**

"Really Leo?" asked Neville.

"I didn't know your name," said Leo.

**Was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

"**Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth.**

"Leo!" reprimanded Hermione.

"What?" asked Leo, trying to contain her giggles.

"That wasn't very nice," said Hermione.

"Well, these are my thoughts," said Leo, "No-one was supposed to know them. Besides, it's a first impression,"

"**We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.**

"**Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."**

"Merlin, I forgot how bloody overbearing you were back then," said Leo.

"She hasn't changed that much," said Ron.

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.**

"He stopped looking like that after the first couple of weeks," grinned Leo.

"**Er – all right."**

**He cleared his throat.**

"**Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,  
Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

"You fell for that?" asked Percy in surprise.

"I was nervous, and I didn't know any better,"

"Well, you do now," said Leo

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.**

The twins fell over laughing, while Ron went an even brighter shade of red.

"**Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"**

"Do you ever breathe?" asked Kingsley, as he gasped for breath.

"No," said all the people who attended Hogwarts.

"Breathing doesn't seem to be important to Hermione," said Leo.

"Maybe we should have sent her swimming in the Tournament," said Ron.

"Oi!" said Hermione, going red.

**She said all this very fast.**

**Leo looked at Ron and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learnt all the set books off by heart either.**

"Only Reggie and Remus did," said Sirius.

"I did not!" protested the two at once.

"**I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.**

"**Leo Potter," said Leo.**

"**Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."**

"Really?" asked Regulus.

"And several others," said James.

"Am I?" asked Leo.

"After the war," said James, nodding

"**Am I?" said Leo, feeling dazed. She hadn't expected this.**

"Who would?"

"**Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione.**

"I'm not you," said Leo.

"So she doesn't study for no reason," said Ron.

"Just because I like to read, Ron, doesn't mean it's a bad thing," said Hermione irritably.

Leo motioned to Kingsley to start reading again before the two started arguing again.

"**Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad … Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."**

"That was a horrible attempt to make friends," said Ginny, frowning at her friend.

"I never had friends before Hogwarts," said Hermione, "No-one ever wanted to be my friend,"

"We'll have to look into that as well," said Leo,

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"you're not the kind of person to push everyone away," said Leo, "In fact, I would have thought it would be easy for you to make friends,"

"And after we became friends, I always thought that it was odd we didn't become friends earlier," said Ron.

"So maybe more manipulation," said Hermione, and the other two nodded.

**And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.**

"She said my name," said Neville.

"Let it go Nev," said Ron, "Leo's just weird,"

"Hey!"

"**Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron**

"Sorry Mione," said Ron.

"It's not your fault," said Hermione, "I was a bit much,"

**. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell – George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."**

"We did," said Fred and George.

"**What house are your brothers in?" asked Leo.**

"**Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."**

"I don't know why there is such a prejudice about Houses," said Leo, "I mean, the House only gained a reputation for dark magic after Voldemort,"

"It's annoying," said Draco, "Everyone expects you to be bad,"

"You were bad," said Hermione.

"Still, or opening speech by the prefects is stick together, and don't provoke the others cause everyone will turn on us," said Blaise.

"And as far as I know, this is the first Slytherin/other house friendship that's formed in years," added Draco.

"You know, your grandparents were Slytherin and Gryffindor," said Sirius.

"So then why is there such a big difference now?" asked Leo.

"I don't know," said Hermione, frowning.

"Another thing to add to the list," said Ron.

"**That's the house Vol – I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"**

"You didn't say the name," said Ron.

"You were there," said Hermione.

"It's still a shock," said Ron.

"**Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.**

"**You know, I think the ends of Scabbers's whiskers are a bit lighter," said Leo, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now they've left, anyway?"**

**Leo was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.**

"Nothing much actually," said Bill, "the job options are limited to small stores or ministry jobs. It's rare for a wizard to get into Gringotts,"

"So then what most people do?" asked Leo.

"The majority of the wizarding community is well off, and many people look to Muggle jobs, so they can have a means to live," said Charlie.

"that's ridiculous," said Leo, "How do most people survive?"

"with great difficulty," said Hermione frowning.

"**Charlie's in Romania studying dragons and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles – someone tried to rob a high-security vault."**

**Leo stared.**

"I would too," said Bill, "It's the first time that some-ones broken into Gringotts and has gotten away,"

"And it won't be the last," said Ron.

Hermione frowned, and added it to the parchment she was writing on.

"**Really? What happened to them?"**

"**Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard**

"Why dark, any powerful wizard or witch could get in," said regulus.

"We've always been told that dark magic equates to evil," said Ron.

"but that's ridiculous," said Sirius, "Magic is magic. Dark magic is simply a different way of using magic. It just does more harm to the user, but it's more powerful. It's called dark magic because most of its rituals needed to be done in the night. Light magic is easier, weaker, and more effective in the light,"

"Dark magic has only been called evil because it has been abused, people have not been educated, and it's been confused with Black magic," said Narcissa.

"What it Black magic?" asked Leo.

"Black magic is the magic that affects the user to the point of death or madness, and it is used to harm," said Regulus.

"Then why aren't we taught that?" asked Bill.

"Classes on different types of magic were outlawed half a century ago, and Dumbledore will not listen to petitions to re-introduce them," said Lucius, "It's causing our children to be woefully misinformed, and people with a dark aura are being shunned for what they cannot control,"

"And yet you reject muggleborns because they're parents are muggles," said Ron, "They cannot help it,"

"Let's argue about this later," said Neville.

"A good idea," said Kingsley.

**to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."**

**Leo turned this news over in her mind. She was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. She supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.**

"Precisely," said Hermione, "It's only increasing the fear,"

"**What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.**

"**Er – I don't know any," Leo confessed.**

"you poor dear," said Sirius.

"I was raised by muggles," said Leo.

"**What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world –" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Leo through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy or Hermione Granger this time.**

"It's me," groaned Draco.

"you were such a little brat then," said Leo.

"And I have no idea why," mumbled Draco.

Hermione heard, and frowned, before adding it to the list.

**Three boys entered and Leo recognised the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Leo with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.**

"sounds wrong," mumbled Draco.

"You're telling me," said Ginny.

"**Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Leonora Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"**

"No, I'm Lara Potter," said Leo.

"What! Everything I know is a lie!" wailed Sirius.

"Sirius!" protested Leo, putting her hands over her ears. Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"**Yes," said Leo. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing either side of the pale boy they looked like bodyguards.**

"I don't even know why you keep them around," said Blaise.

"nor do I, but they've kinda stuck," said Draco.

"**Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Leo was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."**

"And I'm Bond. James Bond," said Leo and Hermione in unison.

"what?" asked Draco.

"I'll tell you later," sighed Leo.

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger.**

"No, I was choking on a Bertie Bott's bean," said Ron going green, "I got Haggis,"

"We didn't need to know that," said Hermione.

**Draco Malfoy looked at him, looking furious. Leo really didn't see why he should be.**

"**Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles and more children than they can afford."**

"did I really say that?" asked Draco before anyone else could speak.

"yes you did," snapped Leo, "And it was really rude,"

"I don't really remember this. All I remember is that you slighted me, and that I was really angry with you,"

"So more manipulation," said Hermione, looking angry, though at what, no-one knew.

"I guess," said Leo, looking worried, "You know, this all seems to be pointing to who I become friends with, and who I don't,"

"You have a point there," said Ron.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Ginny.

"All will be sorted out," said Luna.

"That's what we're here for any way," said James.

**He turned back to Leo.**

"**You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."**

"you sound like my father," said Sirius, looking unhappy.

"You sound old," said Leo, smirking at Draco.

"I am not old!" said Draco vehemently, "Just because my hair is white doesn't mean I'm old,"

"you only used one adjective to describe your hair!" said Ginny, looking shocked.

"Moving on," said Blaise, looking tired.

**He held out his hand to shake Leo's, but Leo didn't take it.**

"that's rude," said Sirius.

"He had just insulted my only friend, and I thought that taking his hand would mean accepting his offer," said Leo, "I don't know about magical traditions,"

"Actually, that's a serious oversight on our part," said McGonagall, "Basic etiquette classes should be a part of the curriculum,"

"**I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," she said coolly.**

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.**

"He looks kind of sweet like that," giggled Ginny.

"you have a crush on him?" asked Leo and Blaise, while Draco went pink.

"No!" said Ginny, protesting violently, "that would be like me sayin I had a crush on one of my brothers,"

"**I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riff-raff like the Weasley's and that Hagrid and it'll rub off on you."**

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" said Narcissa, looking furious, "that was absolutely rude! Apologise at once,"

"He already has," said Leo, while Draco actually cowered in his seat, looking terrified.

**Both Leo and Ron stood up. Ron's face was as red as his hair.**

"How's that unusual," said George, trying to diffuse the tension.

"Happens all the time," added Fred.

"Makes one wonder what he's thinking of all the…"

"time to make him go so red,"

"Oh shut up," said Ron, red again.

"**Say that again," he said.**

"**Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.**

"We did outnumber you, and Crabbe and Goyle were bigger than you," said Draco.

"It's called Bravado," shrugged Leo, "And we did get you to leave,"

"You had help," mumbled Draco

"**Unless you get out now," said Leo, more bravely than she felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron.**

"And they still are," said Ron, grimacing.

"**But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."**

"That is fair," said Hermione.

"What!" asked Ron, looking shocked.

"When it comes to Males and food, it's war anyway," shrugged the bushy haired teen.

"Hermione!" protested Ron, but Kingsley had started to read again

**Goyle reached towards the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron – Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.**

"What did you do?" asked McGonagall, knowing of the altercations that often took place between the two trios

"I didn't do anything," protested Leo.

"Really?" asked Snape, raising an eyebrow.

"Why don't' you read and find out," said Ron, grinning

**Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle**

"see, I didn't do anything," said Leo, looking smug.

"This time," said Hermione.

– **Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.**

"Oh great," said Leo, "the bad Hermione is back,"

"What do you mean bad Hermione?" asked Hermione.

"Well, it's like you were two different people," said Leo.

"**What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.**

"Miss bossy," snorted Neville.

"**I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Leo. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No – I don't believe it – he's gone back to sleep."**

"not surprising," growled Sirius, pulling Leo closer unconsciously.

**And so he had.**

"**You've met Malfoy before?"**

"No," said Leo.

**Leo explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.**

"**I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."**

"And I still stick to it," said Arthur, glaring at Lucius.

Lucius ignore the red haired man, and only looked at the wall, feigning deafness.

**He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"**

"**You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up the front to ask the driver and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

Hermione went red as she heard what she had said.

"**Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"**

"you do know that Leo is a girl," said Sirius, seeing red (slightly).

"No, I always thought Leo was a guy," said Ron guilelessly.

"What?" said Neville in mock shock, "You mean Leo's not?"

"I'm afraid so Nev," said Leo.

The room erupted into laughter for a while.

"**All right – I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice**

"You mean the know-it-all voice?" said Leo grinning.

"Or the bossy voice?" asked Ron.

"shut up you two," said Hermione.

"**And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"**

**Ron glared at her as she left. Leo peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep-purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.**

**She and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his trainers underneath them.**

"which happens every year," sighed Leo,.

"It's like he grows in the 2 weeks between buying the robes and wearing the robes," sighed Hermione.

"I can't help it," said Ron, "I'm a growing boy,"

"He's really tall in the future," said James.

**A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."**

**Leo's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.**

**The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Leo shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and Leo heard a familiar voice: "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! All right there, Leo?"**

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.**

"some things never change," said Remus, smiling.

"**C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!"**

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark either side of them that Leo thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.**

"I did not," mumbled Neville.

"Don't worry Neville, no-one holds it against you," said Luna, patting his arm.

"**Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."**

**There was a loud "Oooooh!".**

**The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.**

"They take the first years that way just so they can see that," said McGonagall, smiling.

"And everyone loves it," said Hermione.

"it's like love at first sight," said Leo, "Hogwarts always stays with us,"

"**No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Leo and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.**

"And had to listen to Hermione yabbering on about Hogwarts: a History," grumbled Ron.

"which she does all the time," added Neville.

"I can enjoy a book if I want to," said Hermione.

"but we don't enjoy said book," said Ginny.

"and we've practically memorized it," said Leo.

"How?" asked Hermione, "You never read it,"

"But you go on about it so much that we have it memorised," said Leo.

"**Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, "Right then – FORWARD!"**

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass.**

"you had a god day," said Narcissa, smirking at her husband.

**Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.**

"**Heads down!" yelled Hagrid**

"Precisely Lucius," said Narcissa, "Head down"

"Shut up Narcissa," growled Lucius, which caught most people by surprise, as he never let his mask down.

"what happened?" asked Draco.

"He got knocked over by the ivy and fell in," said Narcissa through her giggles.

"It was not my fault," said Lucius sniffily, "I was pushed,"

"by who?" asked Sirius.

"By Bellatrix," said Lucius.

"Sounds like something she would do," said Sirius, although he smirked at regulus, who was doubled over with silent laughter.

**as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out on to rocks and pebbles.**

"**Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.**

"**Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands.**

"And that happens so often," grinned Leo.

"I can't help it," said Neville.

"He has an escape artist for a toad," said Luna serenely, and everyone laughed.

**Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last on to smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.**

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.**

"**Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"**

"Sort of," said Fred and George.

"huh?" asked regulus.

"Well, sometimes he doesn't have the toad," said Fred

"And sometimes he does," finished George.

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.**

"and that's the end of the chapter," said Kingsley closing the book.

"Just a typical, uneventful train ride," said Leo.

"where we found more signs of manipulation and control," said Hermione.

"Story of my life," said Leo.

"literally," sniggered James.

"now, bed," said Mrs Weasley.

"Aww," whined the teens.

"You did say you would go to bed after this chapter, and the chapter is over," said Narcissa.

"and your either going to bed or completing whatever homework you have," said Andromeda.

The teens groaned, and started to file out of the room.

"so where do we go?" asked Angelina.

"There are bedrooms upstairs," said Draco, "the adults have the first floor, and we have the top floor,"

"How will we decide rooms?" asked Sirius from behind them, frowning.

"umm," said James, trying to remember what teddy had told him, "I can't remember, but there is a process we decided on,"

Suddenly a letter appeared in front of the group.

"hello again," said the letter, although it sounded a bit awkward.

"As James said, there is a process, but due to a game of truth and dare, and the spell cast on it to make sure we actually complete the dare, the sleeping order has changed,"

"Oh great," grumbled James.

"So, the rooms have been arranged thus…"

**Hello!**

**I've decided to end it on a slight cliffy, cause I'm putting in another interlude, although there will be larger amounts of reading in between the next interlude and this one.**

**I am so sorry for not updating sooner. I have had exams, and then I caught a bad case of the flu, and I had my laptop confiscated, so writing was a bit hard. Please forgive me!**

**Anyway, this is the next chapter, and the interlude will be up shortly, depending on how much homework I get.**

**Please R&R, and no flames please!**


	11. interlude II

**thanks to all the lovely people who have reviewed!**

**i can't believe it! i have so many reviews it makes me dizzy. well sort of, but you get my drift.  
**

**any way, this chapter was pretty easy, so here, you go!  
**

"The rooms have been arranged thus:

On the first floor, Mad-eye and Kingsley will have the singles. Mr and Mrs Weasley will share a double, and Mr and Mrs Malfoy will also share a double, as will Andromeda Tonks and Professor McGonagall. Regulus Black and Severus Snape will share. On the 2nd floor, Sirius black and Leo potter will share, and Remus Lupin and Tonks will share. Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood will share, and Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy will share. Ron Weasley and Percy Weasley will share, and George and Angelina and Fred and Katie will share, and James and Bill will share, as will Charlie and Alicia, and Ginny and Blaise.

The rooms are fixed, so you will not be able to swap. If you attempt to, you will get a very violent shock, and you will be sent back to your room.

Sorry,

Teddy,"

There was a moment of silence as the letter burst into a ball of flame as everyone stared with open mouths. Before they could do anything, there was a flash of light, and they were all deposited into their rooms.

Leo looked to Sirius, to find him looking extremely awkward.

"Uhh well…" he started with, but seemed to be unable to find the words.

"At least they gave us two beds," said Leo, looking around the room to avoid looking at him. She was worried that if she did, she might not be able to look away.

"Well, that's something,"

"And we have our own bathroom,"

"So we can take turns changing,"

"And two closets,"

"No need to worry about wearing the wrong clothes,"

"Has that ever happened?" asked Leo, caught off guard by that. Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"I switched James and Lily's clothes one time,"

"Surely they noticed?" she asked.

"They were wearing the clothes at the time. James tried to read Lily's cup size in the middle of the Great hall. After he screamed like a girl when he landed up in a skirt that was a couple of sizes too small,"

Leo laughed out loud at that. Sirius smiled at the sight, his spirits lifting. His heart gave a funny pang as his mind filled with guilt. She was too young for him. He was supposed to be a father figure, not a lover.

"You are mean,"

"Where did that come from?" he asked, caught off guard by that.

"From the recesses of my mind,"

"Or from the void of your…um…crazy thoughts?" he tried, smiling.

"Was that a question or a statement?" her lips turned up in a half smile, half smirk.

"I don't know?"

They stood in silence for a bit, wandering around the room.

Leo noted the photo's hanging on the wall. The room had obviously been set up for the both of them.

"Soo…"

"What do you want to do?" asked Leo.

"Food sounds nice," said Sirius, without thinking.

"We just ate," said Leo, smiling fondly at the sheepish man. She wondered why it was even the simplest of expressions on his face could make her heart do flip flops.

"I'm hungry again," whined Sirius, a bit busy admiring her features. He wondered if this was what James did when he used to stare at Lily.

'_No! Bad Sirius! She's you're goddaughter!' _he thought, '_a very hot goddaughter who you wouldn't mind kissing' _added that little voice in the back of his head.

"Why don't you go down to the kitchen for a snack, and I'll get ready for bed," suggested Leo.

"Alright," said Sirius, walking to the door. As he opened the door he turned back, "You know Leo, I'm sorry if I make you feel uncomfortable about this at all,"

"It's alright Siri," smiled Leo, "I don't really mind. I sleep in a dorm full of boys anyway,"

"I don't know why Dumbledore allows that," said Sirius, frowning, "As headmaster, he can adjust room sizes. He did that for the girls when I was in Hogwarts,"

"Odd," said Leo, shrugging. She turned away, and wandered to her closet, while Sirius left for the kitchens.

_Why did I have to fall for him? He's my father's best friend. And he's hot as!'_ she thought.

Little did she know that her thoughts were being mirrored in Sirius' head as he stood outside the room, leaning against the wall.

Hermione and Draco were engaged in a glaring contest, and it was as difficult to tell who was winning, and it was just as hard to tell who was angrier.

Hermione most certainly didn't want to have anything to do with the boy who had tormented her during her five years in Hogwarts, and Draco was just a little nervous about sharing a room with his long-time crush and rival.

"What bed do you want?" asked Hermione suddenly.

"Uhh…what?" asked Draco, caught off guard.

"What bed do you want?" repeated Hermione patiently, although there was a glitter in her eyes that said _don't push it_.

"The one next to the window," replied Draco promptly.

"Very well," said Hermione, and she turned to go.

"That's it?" asked Draco, "No declarations of hate, or threats if I try anything?"

"You're friends with Leo, no?" asked Hermione.

"Yes," said Draco warily.

"Then if you try anything, I'm going to her," said Hermione, "but only after I take my revenge from you,"

"Alright," gulped Draco. Why was it his lot to be stuck with stubborn, dominant girls.

"I'm going for a shower, and if you come in, I'll hex you," said Hermione.

"You take your wand into the shower?" asked Draco before he could stop himself.

"I will if I have to," said Hermione, turning away.

After she had gone, Draco collapsed on the bed, staring up at the roof, which had been done in green and blue swirls, thinking about Hermione.

She had haunted his thoughts ever since the Yule ball, and he'd had a crush on her since she had punched him in third year. Since then, he'd started watch her, and found himself admiring trivial things about her, like the way her hair shone in the sun, or the way her bottom lip would go pink and would swell when she chewed her lip. Which happened a lot, like when she was studying, or when she was thinking hard, or when she was annoyed, or when she was duelling, or when she was…

Draco pulled himself out of his thoughts. If he wasn't careful, he might end up letting something slip. He sighed, and shut his eyes, wondering about the girl of his dreams. Literally.

The sound of a door opening and closing quietly pulled him out of his reverie. Freezing, he listened for any odd noises, and picked up the sound of feet padding across the carpet. Peeking through his lashes, he saw Hermione creeping towards the cupboard, wrapped in a towel.

"Come to give me a show Granger?" he asked before he could stop himself.

She gave a yelp, and spun, her wand pointed at him.

"I thought you were asleep," she said accusingly.

"Well, you thought wrong," he said, smirking.

"I just came for my clothes," she said finally.

"Well then, go on," he said, making shooing motions.

She pulled out some clothes from her closet, before bolting to the bathroom again to get changed, giving a good view of her long legs.

'_Merlin Draco, you've got it bad,_' he thought.

Remus stood awkwardly, trying to think of something to say.

"What bed do you want?" asked Tonks, finally taking pity on him.

"I don't really mind," he said.

"Ok then," said Tonks, and she quickly claimed the bed next to the window.

"So, um…you don't…um…mind sharing a room with me…uhh…do you?" he asked awkwardly.

Tonks turned to regard him.

"No, I don't mind, just so long as you don't try anything funny," she said, smiling slightly.

"Funny? Me?" he asked, although, in actual fact, he was a marauder for a reason.

"You were a marauder for a reason," said Tonks, echoing his thoughts, and he laughed, wandering over to his closet to find something to wear for the night.

Percy and Ron regarded each other over the table between their beds. Being brothers, they knew which bed the other wanted, and there had only been a brief scuffle over the bed closer to the bathroom. Needless to say, the more physically fit Ron won.

Now, having gotten ready for bed, they glared at each other, each believing the other to be in the wrong.

Finally, Ron cracked under the tension, and spoke first, something which Percy wasn't going to let him forget. All the Weasley boys had an unspoken tally about this sort of thing, and not even Percy was exempt.

"Truce?" asked Ron, looking away.

"Fine," snapped Percy.

They settled back in silence for a bit, before Percy spoke hesitantly. Truce overruled any argument.

"So…how are your OWL's?"

"They're alright. Hermione's a bloody nightmare about studying, and Umbridge is a menace,"

"How?" asked Percy, trying to be neutral.

"She doesn't allow us any practise in defence. Only theory. And her idea of detention if carving yourself up with a blood quill," grumbled Ron.

"A blood quill?" asked Percy, surprised.

"Yeah," said Ron.

"But that's illegal!"

"Well, she's has the full jurisdiction of the minister, so she does what she likes. She tried to chuck Trelawney pout of the castle after she fired her, and the hag would have succeeded if Dumbledore hadn't stepped in. she was so furious that Dumbledore had hired a _centaur_, and she disbanded every club, team or group, just cause she saw a bunch of us coming back from Hogsmeade. We had to go to Dumbledore just to get the Quidditch team back, and she gave Slytherin their team back almost instantly. And she's got Malfoy and his cronies in a select group just to dock points how they like. It's the rule of the toad, as Leo says," said Ron, all his complaints pouring out.

"But she's such a nice person," protested Percy.

"She's as nice as Hagrid's subtle," scoffed Ron.

"But then why didn't you say anything before?" asked Percy.

"With you acting like a git? The only one who actually wanted you back was mum," said Ron, "you were a bit nuts, calling Leo, who you've known longer than you've been in the ministry a liar,"

"Well…" said Percy, but he didn't really have a response for that.

"I mean, why would you believe the minister over your family?" asked Ron.

"I didn't really think," said Percy quietly, "I kinda let it all go to my head,"

"And you were manipulated like a puppet," said Ron.

"I guess," said Percy, "I'm really sorry about all this,"

"I'm not the one you should be apologising to," said Ron.

"But how can it be true?" asked Percy.

"Think about it," said Ron, "When has Leo ever actually lied about something as big as this?"

"What about her relatives?" asked Percy.

"Would you tell?" asked Ron.

"No," said Percy.

"And why would Leo want fame any way, she has enough, and she doesn't want it," argued Ron, "You've seen her face when people come up to her, and you've seen her face when people talk about her parents. Why would she do something that's only going to bring it up?"

"I guess," said Percy.

"Look, I don't care about what you think. Just apologise to Leo. You really hurt her there, because she sees you as family," said Ron, "And family matters most,"

Percy nodded, and Ron turned the lights out.

And it was true. To the Weasley's, family mattered most. And Percy had forgotten that.

"So, what bed do you want?" asked George, trying not to look too hard at Angelina.

"The one against the wall," said Angelina, wandering over.

"Right," said George. Despite his usual cockiness and confidence, when it came to women (meaning Angie) and him alone, he was lost. Completely. Utterly clueless, like a fish in a palm tree, or his dad in a Muggle store, or a troll with a teapot…

He pulled himself out of his thoughts before he got lost there.

"Righto George," said Angelina, "You try anything in the middle of the night, I'll hex you into next week, understand?"

"Yes," said George, glad that the tremor didn't come out in his voice.

"Good," said the tall girl, turning away in an effort to control her heart rate.

Why did she have to have a thing for George? And she knew it was George because of the funny freckle under his eye, and his eyes, which were a shade darker than Fred's, and his hands… she stopped there, because she had one hell of a list, started in her first year in an effort to tell the two apart.

"So, you wanna go to be now, or go catch up with the others?" asked George from behind her.

"Nah, it's been a long day," she said, happy to sound confident, even if she didn't feel it.

"Uhh, I'll just check on Fred, then I'm going to bed too," said George, bolting for the door.

Outside, he stood, breathing heavily.

'_Oh joy,_' he thought, '_I am going to go insane before the week is out,_'

After waiting a while, he crept into the room to find Angelina asleep

Fred and Katie were settling in nicely. They got along reasonably well, and they didn't mind sharing a room. Well, they didn't mind all too much.

"So, do you want to do anything before bed?" asked Fred.

"Not really," said Katie, "But we could make bets on who will crack first with their roommates,"

Fred grinned in response.

Neville looked around the room. It was a pale blue, with pictures of all their friends around the room. On the desk next to the window was a picture of his parents, and next to it, a picture of who he assumed were Luna's parents. The room seemed to be tailored to the two of them, and he wondered if it was the same for the others.

"Have the Wrackspurts got you?" asked Luna from the bathroom door.

Neville turned to find her in bronze pyjamas with a blue eagle on the front.

"No," said Neville, "I was just looking around,"

"Nice pyjamas," she said, "The red and blue bring out your eyes,"

"Uhh, thanks," said Neville.

"So which bed would you like?" asked Luna.

"Whichever one you don't choose would be nice," said Neville, "The floor doesn't sound very nice,"

Luna started to giggle.

"Alright," she said, "I'll take the one next to window,"

"Cool," said Neville.

"Good night," said Luna, "and don't let the Hafflypinks bite,"

"What's a hafflypink?" mumbled Neville under his breath as the lights dimmed.

Luna didn't hear him.

Blaise sat on the bed, waiting or Ginny to come out of the shower. Honestly, that woman was obsessed with hygiene.

Unlike his friends (Draco and Leo) he didn't delude himself about who he currently fancied. He might not say anything, but that didn't mean he was in denial. And he liked Ginny. He liked her a lot. And he knew she liked him too. And maybe that was why her brothers had been glaring at him on regular intervals during dinner and the readings.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Ginny, walking out of the shower. She was wearing a pair of red flannel pants, and a gold tank top

"Leo and Draco," said Blaise, "Don't you think the gold's a bit bright?"

"It matches my pants," shrugged Ginny, "What about Leo and Drake are you thinking?"

"How blind they are," smiled Blaise, "Draco's in denial, and Leo can't see how much her god father likes her,"

"You would think, with all the slip ups James made, they would notice," smirked Ginny, "And you would think Hermione would notice all the glassy looks Draco was giving her,"

"One would think he would notice," said Blaise, "By the way, your brothers have been glaring at me since we arrived,"

"I'm the only girl out of seven brothers," said Ginny, "they're awfully protective of me. Especially as I'm the youngest,"

"It's a little intimidating," said Blaise.

"Well, aren't you a slytherin?" asked Ginny.

"I take calculated risks," said Blaise, "I'll leave the life-threatening risks to the Gryffindor's,"

"Well, I'm a Gryffindor," said Ginny, moving closer.

Blaise smiled, and pulled her in for a kiss.

Charlie looked over at Alicia. He hadn't ever really known her, seeing as she had been in her first year when he'd been in his seventh. He only knew of her from Fred and George's stories, and Ron and Ginny had only mentioned her in passing.

Alicia on the other hand, had heard a lot about Fred and George' Dragon tamer brother. He looked a lot liked she expected.

"So, what do you wanna do?" asked Charlie awkwardly, scratching his head.

"I think I'll go to bed," said Alicia, "What about you?"

She seemed to be amused by how awkward he was feeling.

"I'm going for a shower," said Charlie, "Ducking Dora's hexes is tiring,"

"If you didn't provoke her, you wouldn't have to duck them," said Alicia.

"Where's the fun in that?" asked Charlie, grinning like a little boy.

Alicia shook her head, and wandered off to find some clothes, while Charlie went for a shower.

She dressed and walked over to the desk, looking over the pictures that covered the wall there. They seemed to be comprised of her parents and the Weasley family.

She heard a small roar, and turned around to find a mini dragon curled up on Charlie's bed, looking at her warily. Unable to help herself, she cooed at it, and moved closer.

"It's a Horntail," said Charlie from behind her, and she jumped a mile, her wand in her hand.

"Whoa," said Charlie, "No need for that,"

"Sorry," said Alicia, "I'm just used to Fred and George. Or as used as one can be to them,"

"I understand," said Charlie, "Visiting home is like strolling into a dragon's den without your wand,"

"Nice analogy," grinned Alicia.

"Thanks,"

"So why do you have a mini Horntail on your bed?" asked Alicia.

"It's the mini they used for the tournament," said Charlie, "Leo kept Diggory's, Krum gave his back, and our bass has it, Fleur kept hers, and Leo gave me the horntail. Apparently it kept going for her socks,"

"It's cute," said Alicia, turning back to it.

"Glad to see someone agrees with me," said Charlie. He tossed a treat over, and the mini dragon leapt for it.

"Where will it sleep in the night?" asked Alicia worriedly, "I don't want to wake up to find it in my hair,"

"He doesn't usually do that," said Charlie, going red, "But I've made a bed for him on the desk,"

She had wondered what the pile of small blankets was for.

"Anything I should be wary for with a mini dragon in the room?"

"Don't leave your closet open, cause he likes to explore, and don't leave any windows or doors open. He's technically not supposed to be here,"

"When has any Weasley ever not broken a rule?" asked Alicia, amused.

"What do you mean?" asked Charlie, although, his innocent face wasn't quite working.

"Oh come on," said Alicia, "I've heard Fred and George's stories. Ron and Ginny also have a few good ones,"

"I shudder to think what they might have told you," said Charlie, "I was hoping to have a somewhat good image,"

"That lasted for a few moments after I heard you were a dragon keeper," said Alicia, "Then the twins ruined it,"

"Noo!" said Charlie dramatically, "My life is ruined! What shall I do? I'm…mmmhhfll"

He was cut off by the sock shoved into his mouth by Alicia. He shot the giggling girl a reproachful look. It was ruined by the dragon landing on his head.

Spitting the sock out, he joined her in laughter. Maybe he could learn to like her.

"You know, you suck at keeping secrets," said Bill as he looked through his closet for something to wear.

"Well, when it comes to mum, no-one can keep a secret. It's like she learned some death glare of guilt or something from Voldemort,"

"She learned it from my mum and the death glare from Snape," said Bill.

"So what secret did I keep badly?" asked James.

"The one about Sirius being your dad," said Bill.

"Wh-what?" asked James, his voice cracking embarrassingly

"don't play dumb," said Bill.

"Fine, but don't tell anyone," said James.

"What?" whined Bill, "But think of all the betting the could happen,"

"No," said James,

"I'll let you have a fifth of my profits," said Bill.

"Make a quarter and you have a deal," said James.

"Done," said Bill, "So Sirius really is your dad?"

"Yeah," said James, "It keeps us on our toes, and keeps him young,"

"Not surprising," said Bill.

"I really should go to bed," said James.

"Why?" asked Bill.

"Cause I'm really tired," said James, yawning, "Quidditch takes a lot out of you,"

"What position do you play?" asked Bill.

"Beater, like dad," said James, "its fun cause I get to whack bludgers at my brothers,"

"What house?" asked Bill.

"Tell you later," said James, climbing into bed.

"Fine," grumbled Bill.

The lights dimmed, and the room was soon filled with the sounds of the two boys snoring.

Lucius and Narcissa got ready for bed, moving around the room in a rhythm that had been perfected after they had married.

"Lucius, what are we going to do about Draco?" asked Narcissa.

"you mean about his strange infatuation for the muggleborn?" asked Lucius. Despite what he said outside of the house, he never used bad language when his wife was around. He didn't want to offend her sensibilities, and she was terrifying when she was mad.

"No, I mean his behaviour in the books," said Narcissa, "We raised him better,"

"I agree with the assumption that maybe someone was manipulating people in order to control Ms potter's friends," said Lucius, "after all, he's never acted like that before,"

"But who would do that"

"Dumbledore," responded Snape, walking into the room.'

"How did you get here?" asked Lucius.

"through the door," responded Narcissa.

"My room's on the other side of the hall way," said Severus, "and it was a bit hard to miss your room," The dors an exact replica of the one at your manor,"

"Interesting," said Narcissa.

"Why would Dumbledore manipulate an eleven year old?" asked Lucius, getting back to the point.

"His words were 'it's for the greater good'," said Severus, "I was quite shocked at Draco's behaviour myself,"

"Although I find his friendship with Ms potter strange," said lucius.

"Why?" asked Narcissa, "They seem awfully similar,"

"But.." protested Lucius.

"I think, that if they had been left alone, and had not been manipulated, they would have ended up friends anyway," said Narcissa, "No matter how much the two of you protest,"

"It's a crime against nature," growled Snape.

"I'm sure you are saying that completely without bias," said Lucius sarcastically.

"I try," shrugged the younger man.

"Go back to your room Severus," said Narcissa, smiling fondly at the two men.

"I can't," moaned Severus.

"Why?" asked Lucius.

"Regulus has drawn himself a bath, and he's put on some bloody music," grumbled Severus, "So I came in the hopes that you might have some earmuffs,"

"I think there's a pair in my closet," said Narcissa, "Let me have a look,"

"Music isn't that bad,:" said Lucius.

"Maybe if you're a pureblood snob," said Severus, "But I don't like it,"

"You have no taste," sniffed the blonde.

"And you have too much," grinned the potions master. Narcissa came back with a pair of green earmuffs, and the potions master thanked her profusely, before wandering away again.

The couple smiled to each other, and closed the door.

Teddy watched the happenings from the special screen he had charms. He could hear Reggie and Rigel in the background, sniggering over their parent's behavior, and stuffing themselves with popcorn. Thank merlin Leo and Sirius had gone on a second honeymoon. He wouldn't have gotten away with this otherwise.

"So, what's happening?" asked Lily.

"They've all gone to bed, and I have seen some things that are probably going to scar me for life," said Teddy.

"Like what?" asked Lily.

"I don't want to scar your innocent young mind," said Teddy.

"Fine," said Lily.

"Now what?" asked Rigel from where he and Regulus were playing chess.

"Bed time," said Teddy.

"what?" whined his young charges.

"Now. Or I'll floo call mum," snapped Teddy, and the four kids ran for their rooms.

He loved being in charge.

**well, that's chapter11. i hoped you like it!  
**

**you know, i was thinking, i'm going to set myself a goal to have another 5 chapters up before the year is out. if i don't, you all have permission to flame me as much as you want. cause i get so many reviews of people asking me to update.  
**

**so, i'll have the next chapter up soon. hopefully.  
**


	12. Interlude III

**okay, i know i said that the next book chapter would be up next, but this got too long, so i'm putting it as it's own chapter. i haven't finished the next chapter, but this is here for now. **

The next morning, the occupants of the house were woken by a large explosion that caused the floors to shake and the windows to rattle in their sills. Those who had stayed in the same building as the Marauders or the twins simply waited for the shaking to stop, and rolled over and went to sleep. Those who weren't used to it were out of bed and in the halls in record time.

"What's going on?" asked Lucius, his wand out. He had somehow managed to get a green robe on, and had found a way of looking dignified in nearly the same outfit as McGonagall.

"I don't know," said Andromeda, storing her brother-in-law's outfit for later.

"we should do sweeps of the building," grunted Mad-eye, slightly disturbing without a shirt, leaving his scarred chest exposed.

Kingsley nodded, his brilliant purple dressing gown swishing.

They got into line and went to the first floor.

"How did Severus and narcissa sleep though this?" asked Lucius quietly, and all he got were shrugs.

They walked to the next floor to find Draco, Blaise and Tonks standing in the hall.

"do you know what happened?" asked Andromeda, and the three shook their heads.

"hold up," said Tonks, "Does anyone notice the difference in who's awake, and who's still asleep?"

"What do you mean?" asked Andromeda.

"All the Gryffindor's are asleep, and so are Regulus and Severus," said Kingsley.

"So?" asked Blaise, still not fully awake. Draco handed him a coffee, and there was a moment of silence as everyone tried to work out where the blonde had gotten it from.

"SOO," said Tonks firmly, "What do they all have in common?"

"Pranksters," said Draco, immediately catching onto his cousins train of thought.

"Precisely," said Kingsley.

"So let's find out who made the explosion," said Mad-eye. The group turned to the hall of closed doors, but before they could get any where, a voice rang out through the house.

"WAKEY WAKEY PEOPLE!" screamed a voice.

"RISE AND SHINE LADIES!" screamed another.

"IT'S TIME TO GET OUT OF BED AND GET TO WORK!" added the first.

Here was a series of thumps, and then James potter came tearing out into the hall, dressed in a pair of red pants.

"I'm going to kill you two! Where are you, you filthy, cruel, bloody morning twins!" he screamed.

"YOU'LL NEVER FIND US," boomed the second voice.

"What is going on?" asked a very annoyed Hermione granger, walking out.

"I was having as nice dream!" whined Sirius, as he was dragged out by Leo.

"This has something to do with you," said Leo, glaring at the man.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sirius.

"Moony's too nice, and the twins know better than waking everyone up on a Saturday," said Leo, "So that leaves only you,"

"But it's a Saturday," said Sirius, "I like to sleep in!"

"You have woken the household up on a Saturday before," said Regulus grumpily, walking up the stairs.

"Only on birthday's or Christmas," said Sirius sniffily, "Not for some random reason?"

"Then how do you explain all those occaisons during school?" asked remus.

"Quidditch, james' new pick up lines, Brilliant new ideas for pranks," said Sirius shrugging.

"Precisely the point," said Regulus.

"shut up, it could have been you," said Sirius.

"Really?" asked Snape, walking up.

"OMG, can you see what he's wearing?" whispered Katie to Angelina.

"I think I've been scared for life," said Alicia.

"It wasn't him," said James.

"how do you know?" asked Charlie.

"It was the twins…" started James, but was cut off by everyone glaring at Fred and George, who had wandered out of their rooms wearing matching expressions of sleepiness.

"What?" hissed Leo.

"Not those twins," said james, "Regulus and Rigel, my brothers,"

"Oh," said Leo, "Sorry then Siri,"

No problem," said Sirius, "Does anyone know the time?"

"Umm," said Hermione, "Dunno,"

"Six," said Ron.

"how do you know?" asked Draco.

"I don't know, my watch?" asked Ron scathingly.

"Well, it's too early to be up," said Regulus.

"I'm going back to bed," said Sirius, and they both walked for Sirius' room.

They were stopped by lepo grabbing the back of regulus' dressing gown, though she had to stand on tiptoe to do so.

"I don't think so," said Leo, "Go to your own room!"

"Aww!" protested Regulus and Sirius.

"I'm not sharing with Snape," said Leo.

"Alright," said Sirius.

"No-ones going back to bed," said Narcissa.

"Why not?" asked Blaise.

"Because, seeing as we're all up, we are going to have breakfast," said mrs Weasley, following the Blonde woman.

As if it was a cue, there was a series of rumbling stomachs, and most of the occupants went red.

"Sounds good,' said Ron.

"Fine," said Hermione.

"Showers," said Bill from behind the group. Everyone turned to the red head.

"Those who come down smelly don't get food," said the man, and, seeing his glare, every one was soon arguing about who would get the shower first.

"I'm going fir…" started Draco, but was cut off by Hermione.

"Ladies first," she said, summoning her towel.

"What?" whined Draco, but she had already closed the door.

"the twins get that room, and we'll share this one," said Katie, and Angelina nodded decisively. The twins nodded, and Angelina went to get her things.

"I'm going first," said Leo, and was in the bathroom before Sirius could protest.

"What?" whined Sirius, "Where is the fairness in this?"

"Life isn't fair," responded Leo through the door.

"Ladies first," said remus, gesturing to the door.

"Nah, you can go first," said Tonks, grinning, "Maybe I'll get a good view when you come out,"

To his eternal shame, he went as red as a tomato.

"Age before beauty," said Percy, somehow managing to get into the bathroom first.

"So you admit I'm better looking than you," crowed Ron through the door.

"No, it's just a saying I use to make yu feel better about losing," said Percy.

"What does that mean?" asked Ron. Percy didn't answer.

"Would you like to go first?" asked Neville.

"Alright," said Luna, before pushing him into the bathroom.

"What sense did that make?" asked Neville. She only responded by throwing his towel at his face

"you can go first," said Charlie, grinning at Alicia.

"Alright," said Alicia, "More chance to booby trap the bathroom,"

She grinned and bolted for the bathroom, while Charlie swore violently. He could swear he heard her giggle.

"Your going first," said Bill.

James didn't see the point in arguing with someone who was bigger than him.

"So, do you like mentally scarring your students?" asked Regulus.

"I save it for special occasions," grinned Severus, "Other than that, I just terrify them into submission,"

"You haven't changed at all," said Regulus, shaking his head, as he shut the bathroom door.

"Hey!" said Severus.

"You should have been more observant," called Regulus, leaving the other man to grumble under his breath

It wasn't long before they were all settled down for breakfast, half of the people grinning smugly.

"Whatcha pouting about, Ron?" asked Leo.

"Percy got to the bathroom first," grumbled Ron.

"What?" asked his brothers, who looked between the sulky fifth year, and the smug ministry employee.

"So what was the point of the exercise?" asked Leo.

"To see who won that round," said Bill, "I'm arranging a series of competitions,"

"So what happens to the people who win?" asked Leo.

"It will culminate in a final between the two best, and the person who wins will get to choose their prize," said Bill.

"That sounds ominous," said Alicia.

"well, they won," said Charlie, shrugging.

"you can't talk," saod Alicia, "I won,"

"you got beat by a girl," sniggered Tonks,

"Hands up who else lost?" asked Hermione. There were several shocks.

"You suck Siri," grinned Regulus.

"Well, at least one of us won," said Sirius, "And snape was beat,"

"Shut up," growled Severus.

"Technically, I lost," said Neville.

"Why" asked Percy.

"Luna pushed me into the bathroom,"

"Well, then, it's a draw," said Arthur.

"Uncle bill lost as well," said james.

"I'm the judge," said Bill, "I'm not in the competition,"

"Who else is judge?" asked Ginny.

"Umm.." said Bill.

"I will be," said McGonagall, "I don't want a part in these ridiculous games,"

"Me too," said Moody.

"He might kill everyone otherwise," Tonks grinned.

"We will as well," said Molly, gesturing to Arthur and herself.

"And so will I," said Andromeda.

"Great," said Sirius, "Now all the old people are out of the way,"

"Oi!" said Andromeda.

"well, you are older than me," said Sirius.

"Mentally, every one is older than you," said regulus.

"Hey!" said Sirius, while every one laughed at him.

"So, why don't we go back to reading the book?" asked Hermione, eager to get on.

"Alright," said Leo.

"Let me finish breakfast first," complained Ron, and he was backed up by most of the other males in the group.

"Alright," said Hermione.

"But hurry up," said Ginny.

"Make me," said Charlie. He gave a small scream as he was hit by a bat-bogey hex.


	13. the Sorting Hat

**Well, here it is, the long awaited chapter.**

**to all the poeple who are asking why i put the same chapter up again, i have just realised that i put up a draft, so here is the finished version!**

**hope you enjoy it!**

When they had finally finished eating, they trooped into the room, taking the same seats as the night before.

Leo decidedly sat on the floor, leaning against Sirius' legs, and James curled up next to her.

"So, who's reading?" asked Ginny.

"I believe it's Mad-eye's turn," said Kingsley. The man nodded and summoned the book.

"The sorting hat," he read, his eye glaring over the book to dare any one to interrupt.

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Leo's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.**

"you got that right," murmured Sirius.

"Glad you finally figured that out," said McGonagall, a dangerous look in her eyes.

"**The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.**

"No, they're coming in an hour," said Leo, "It's just a bunch or random eleven year olds Hagrid found,"

Everyone burst into laughter. (**when I say everyone I mean the people most likely to laugh. This doesn't include Lucius, Narcissa, Snape and Mad-eye. As for everyone else, just imagine varying degrees of laughter that go according to person)**

"**Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."**

**She pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was so big you could have fitted the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.**

"Good sight to intimidate the first years," said Ron nonchalantly.

"Keeps 'em in line," said Charlie in a stage whisper.

"no, it just stops us from scaring the older years," said Hermione.

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Leo could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right – the rest of the school must already be here – but Professor McGonagall showed the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.**

"We did that too," smiled Sirius.

"The rest of the year group may have," said Remus, "You and James were making bets on how long it'd take before someone cracked,"

"How long did it take?" asked Tonks.

"Actually, Moony bet that no one would crack, and James and I both had to pay him ten galleons each,"

"Well, we can all see who the real brains of the group is," said Leo, smirking at Sirius.

"Hey, are you implying that I'm not smart?" he demanded.

"you said it, not me," said Leo.

"And you walked right into that one," sniggered Remus.

"**Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.**

"Do you give the same speech every year?" asked James

McGonagall, to her shame, went red.

"She does!" crowed Sirius, "you owe me ten galleons Moony!"

"Damn it," grumbled Remus as he fished in his pockets.

"**The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.**

"You know, that's just encouraging dissention between the students," said Hermione.

"What?" asked Ron.

"Well, putting us in houses, then holding competitions to see who is best with a point system only encourages the students to dislike others in different houses," explained Hermione.

"Well, not really, but the level people are taking it to doesn't help," said Leo.

"Especially with all the tales people tell about the houses," said Draco.

"Another thing to add to the list," mumbled Hermione.

"**The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."**

"It never helps, telling them to smarten up," sighed McGonagall.

"They're eleven," said Kingsley, "Of course they're not going to smarten up,"

**Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Leo nervously tried to neaten her hair.**

"Never works," moaned Leo.

"It's the potter curse," smirked Sirius, "Messy hair, bad eyesight, and midgets till your fifteen,"

"Actually mum's still a midget," said James, "She makes Lily, who's fourteen look tall,"

"Thanks," said Leo.

"But then again, Lily's pretty tall anyway," said James, "So she makes almost every one look short,"

"That helps," said Leo, smiling at her son.

"**I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."**

**She left the chamber. Leo swallowed.**

"**How exactly do they sort us into houses?" she asked Ron.**

"**Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."**

"Duhh," said Hermione, Ginny and Leo in unison.

"When Fred and George say something, you have to check and see with someone else if it' true," said Charlie.

**Leo's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But she didn't know any magic yet – what on earth would she have to do? She hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. She looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learnt and wondering which one she'd need. Leo tried hard not to listen to her. It wasn't helping the state of her nerves.**

"Sorry," said Hermione.

"And you do that for every test," complained Ron.

"It helps me concentrate," said Hermione.

"At the cost of the rest of the class," said Ron.

"Excluding Leo," added Neville.

"I'll try not to in the future," said Hermione, and the two settled down.

**And, she'd never been more nervous, never, not even when she'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that she'd somehow turned her teacher's wig blue.**

There was a burst of laughter from the people.

"Brilliant," said Sirius through his chuckles.

"We never did that," said Remus, frowning.

"Yes we did," said Sirius, "Remember in fifth year when we coated Ashby in pink paint, and dyed Sprout's hair orange,"

"Oh yeah," said Remus.

"Who's Ashby?" asked Bill.

"She was the Runes teacher," said Sirius.

"We should try that," said George.

"Oh no you won't," said Molly, fixing the twins with a glare.

**She kept her eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead her to her doom.**

"Dramatic much?" asked Blaise.

"shut up," said Leo, going red.

"James used to be the same," said Sirius, "Especially after Lily rejected him,"

"So that was why he was known as that dramatic tosser," chuckled Remus.

"No, that was because of his reaction to lily saying yes," said Sirius.

**Then something happened which made her jump about a foot in the air – several people behind her screamed.**

"**What the –?"**

"We're all going to die!" interjected Hermione suddenly, causing several people to jump.

"Shut up Mya," said Ron, "And stop scaring all the others,"

"But it's fun," pouted Leo, and the two girls cracked up.

"Now you see what I have to deal with," said Ron, pulling on a mock sad face.

"Well, I'm abandoning you, cause I'm afraid it might be catchy," said Neville.

"Traitor!" said Ron.

"Slytherin!" added Ginny.

**She gasped. So did the people around her. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the first-years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance –"**

"They're arguing about Peeves, aren't they?" asked Tonks.

"Let me read, and you'll find out," said Mad-eye grumpily.

"**My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?"**

"Same dialogue," said Kingsley, smiling.

"I remember that," chuckled Molly.

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first-years.**

**Nobody answered.**

"Of course not," said Leo, "I was too busy staring through him,"

"At what?" asked Ron.

"I was amazed that he was see-through," smiled Leo.

"It was quite a shock," said Hermione.

"**New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"**

"No, we're the entertainment," said Neville.

"We're going to do death-defying stunts to save the school," grumbled Leo.

"And here I was hoping for a holiday," said Ron.

"That's in Burma," said Hermione.

"Oh, I'll transfer then," said Ron.

"but I'll miss you," said Leo.

"I'll miss you too," said Ron, pretending to get up.

"Okay, Bye!" said the two girls, suddenly pushing him out the door,

"What! Hey…" said Ron, startled.

"You walked into that one," said Neville, "Or rather out,"

"Not bad," said Sirius, "Frank and sarcasm never mixed,"

"Like oil and my hangings," said Remus.

"it was an experiment for the good of science!" said Sirius.

"one that got you detention for a month," said McGonagall.

"Can I read now?" asked Mad-eye.

"Go for it," said Leo, as she dragged a table in front of the door.

"What are you doing?" asked Andromeda

"They're locking Ron out," said Ginny.

"that's cool," called Ron through the door, "Now I have unlimited access to the food,"

"Alright, you can come in," called Charlie, and most of the males in the room opened the door, and dragged him in.

"Aww," whined Ron.

**A few people nodded mutely.**

"**Hope to see you in Hufflepuff" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."**

"**Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."**

**Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.**

"That was cool," said Ginny.

"**Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first-years, "and follow me."**

**Feeling oddly as though her legs had turned to lead, Leo got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.**

"The grand entrance," said Angelina.

"One which you three never pay attention to," said Katie, looking at Hermione, Ron and Leo.

"What about last year" asked Leo.

"Oh, I forgot about that?" said Katie.

"you forget a lot of things," said Alicia.

"Oi!" said Katie.

**Leo had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting.**

"The welcoming feast always is the best," said Sirius.

"It's like you're coming home," said Leo, "And the whole castle wants to celebrate,"

Severus was slightly disturbed at how close Leo's thoughts were to his own. He had thought he was the only one to feel like that.

**These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.**

"and there are her descriptions," said Hermione.

"And they're just as weird as ever," said Draco.

"Hey!" said Leo.

"What, you described me as a slytherin banner when I came for the Yule ball," said Draco.

"You were wearing Green robes. Combined with your complexion and hair, you did look like a slytherin banner," said Leo.

"Actually, now that I think about it," said Blaise, "She's right,"

"You came in Bronze," said Draco.

"It suited my complexion," said Blaise, "Besides, i didn't have time to pick out something brighter, with all the hell you were giving me,"

**Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Leo looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. She heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."**

"I didn't know that," said Leo.

"Nor did I," said Ron.

"wait, I might have heard it before," said Leo,

"You know, a couple of times," said Ron.

"every hour," added Neville.

"Every day," said Leo.

"Of every year," said Ron.

Hermione went red, while the rest of the room laughed.

**It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.**

"Looks like that doesn't it," smiled Sirius.

**Leo quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.**

"Lucky hat," said Luna.

**Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Leo thought wildly**

"what does a rabbit have to do anything?" asked Regulus.

"Muggles pull rabbits out of a hat as a trick," said Hermione.

"Why?" asked Draco.

"Dunno," said Hermione,

**That seemed the sort of thing – noticing that everyone in the Hall was now staring at the hat, she stared at it too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and the hat began to sing:**

"Weirdest thing ever," said Leo.

"Not really," said James, "We have a mirror that makes snarky comments every time we go by,"

"I love those mirrors," said Sirius.

"They're annoying," said Leo at the same.

The two turned to glare at each other, causing James to snigger quietly.

"**Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,**

**But don't judge on what you see,**

**I'll eat myself if you can find**

**A smarter hat than me.**

"Not a challenge,' said McGonagall, looking at the pranksters in the room.

"Aww," they whined.

**You can keep your bowlers black,**

**Your top hats sleek and tall,**

**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat**

**And I can cap them all.**

"Nice pun," said Regulus.

**There's nothing hidden in your head**

**The Sorting Hat can't see,**

**So try me on and I will tell you**

**Where you ought to be.**

**You might belong in Gryffindor,**

**Where dwell the brave at heart,**

**Their daring, nerve and chivalry**

**Set Gryffindor's apart;**

**You might belong in Hufflepuff,**

**Where they are just and loyal,**

**Those patient Hufflepuffs are true**

**And unafraid of toil;**

**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,**

**If you've a ready mind,**

**Where those of wit and learning,**

**Will always find their kind;**

**Or perhaps in Slytherin**

**You'll make your real friends,**

**Those cunning folk use any means**

**To achieve their ends.**

**So put me on! Don't be afraid!**

**And don't get in a flap!**

**You're in safe hands (though I have none)**

**For I'm a Thinking Cap!"**

"You didn't sing it," whined Sirius.

"Shut up Black, or you can run laps," growled Mad-eye.

"you can't make me," said Sirius.

"I still have your roll number," said Mad-eye, "and it hasn't expired,"

"Alright," said Sirius hurriedly, watching the grizzly man warily.

"What's a roll number?" asked Leo.

"When I was a part of the auror corps, I was given a roll number," explained Sirius, "It kinda enables the trainers to make sure the recruits do whatever they're told. It's removed once we become fully fledged aurors,"

"So why do you have yours?" asked Leo.

"I was a month away from getting my badge when your parents died," said Sirius.

"Oh," said Leo softly, before she climbed into his lap to give him a hug. He smiled softly, and put his arms around her. He also ignored the eye roll he got from Remus

**The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.**

"**So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Leo. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."**

The trio turned to look at said Twin with looks of stunned horror mixed with awe.

"Are you sure you aren't a seer?" asked Leo.

"Yeah, I'm sure," said Fred.

"Hey, this doesn't have anything to do with the troll that was let in on Halloween?" asked Percy, catching on.

"Maybe," said Ron.

"you'll find out for yourself when we get to Halloween," said Leo.

**Leo smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but she did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Leo didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for her.**

"you and every other first year," said Angelina.

"Why do we have to do it in front of the entire school?" whined Ginny.

"That was the way the founders did it, and the sorting hat has insisted we do it that way," said McGonagall.

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.**

"**When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"**

**A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause –**

"**HUFFLEPUFFF!" shouted the hat.**

"Yay!" cheered Tonks.

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Leo saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.**

"**Bones, Susan!"**

"**HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.**

"Huh, scuttled," sniggered Draco.

"Shut up, you mean Slytherin!" snapped Tonks.

"Make me," said Draco. He yelped as she shot a hex at him, and quickly ducked.

"I take it back! I take it back!" he said, holding his arms over his head.

"We are never letting you live that down," said Leo.

"**Boot, Terry!"**

"**RAVENCLAW!"**

"Yes!" cheered Kingsley and Luna.

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaw's stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.**

"Stuffy," said Sirius.

"We are not!" said Kingsley.

"They shook his hand," said Sirius, "You can't get stuffier than that,"

"Yes you can," said regulus, "Remember mum's 50th birthday?"

"That doesn't count," said Sirius.

"**Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor**

"Woohoo!" cheered the Gryffindor's.

"Actually, she's a bitch," said Leo.

"True," said Hermione.

"So why are we cheering for her?" asked Leo, "We should be demanding a resort,"

"Because it's Gryffindor," said Ginny, "Even if she is a bitch,"

"Ginny," chastised Mrs Weasley, "And you too Leo,"

"Sorry," mumbled the two girls

**and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Leo could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.**

"**Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Leo's imagination, after all she'd heard about Slytherin, but she thought they looked an unpleasant lot.**

"Oi!" said Blaise and Draco at once.

"I was eleven," said Leo, "You all looked mean and nasty and snooty,"

"Not a bad description," said Remus, "James said the same,"

"Didn't I hit him for inferring that Reggie could be snooty,"

Regulus smiled at his brother. His smile dropped when he heard Remus's next words.

"And then you corrected him and said your brother was snotty," said Remus.

Sirius yelped as Regulus shot a particularly nasty hex at him. Sirius dove behind the couch, while everyone moved away from that general area.

"I didn't mean it Reggie! Reggie?" he asked, peering over the couch, before ducking again when another came his way, "Reggie!"

"Why don't we continue," said McGonagall, after Regulus sat back, smirking.

**She was starting to feel definitely sick now. She remembered being picked for teams during sports lessons at her old school. She had always been last to be chosen, not because she was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked her.**

"Nasty, foul, cruel…" Sirius' mutter came from behind the chair, startling everyone.

"**Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"**

"**HUFFLEPUFF!"**

"hah!" we have more people than you!" sang Tonks

"For now," said Leo.

**Sometimes, Leo noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus", the sandy-haired boy next to Leo in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.**

"you are so observant," grumbled Ron and Draco.

"It's a part of my charm," said Leo, smiling.

"**Granger, Hermione!"**

**Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.**

"Hands up who expected that?" asked Leo. Almost everyone put their hands in the air.

Hermione blushed.

"**GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.**

"Ron," scolded Hermione, thwacking him with a pillow.

"We weren't friends then," said Ron, "I didn't know you that well,"

**A horrible thought struck Leo, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if she wasn't chosen at all? What if she just sat there with the hat over her eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off her head and said there had obviously been a mistake and she'd better get back on the train?**

"you are so dramatic," said Remus, shaking his head, "You have to have gotten it from Sirius. Too much exposure to the idiot when you were a child. I told Lily and James that making him your godfather was a mistake,"

"Oi!" said Sirius, peering over the couch. When he saw that it was clear, he climbed over and sat back down.

"Probably true," said Kingsley.

"hey! What is this, gang up on Sirius Day?" whined Sirius

"Guess," said Leo, grinning. Sirius muttered under his breath shooting the other occupants glares.

**When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted "GRYFFINDOR", Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag".**

"That was so embarrassing," said Neville.

"But it was funny," said Ron.

"what took so long?" asked Leo.

"We were talking about my parents," said Neville.

"oh," said Leo. There was a moment of silence, before Mad-eye kept reading.

**Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"**

**Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.**

"Looking too pleased with himself to be innocent," said Leo, "I wonder what they do down in the dungeons of the castle?"

"Please don't say it like that?" said Draco, "It sounds wrong for some reason,"

**There weren't many people left now.**

"**Moon" … "Nott" … "Parkinson" … then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" … then "Perks, Sally-Anne" … and then, at last –**

"**Potter, Leonora!"**

**As Leo stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.**

"Not a bad description," said Hermione.

"Maybe you should go into poetry," said Sirius, "You would be good,"

"Nah, I'm too busy fighting Voldemort,"

"**Potter, did she say?"**

"No, she said Pinkley," said Ron, grinning madly.

"How is that funny?" asked Hermione.

"You know how we all have our mad moments," said Leo.

"Yeah," said Hermione.

"that was Ron's," said Leo.

"**The Leonora Potter?"**

"No, the other one," said Ginny with a straight face.

**The last thing Leo saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was the Hall full of people craning to get a good look at her. Next second she was looking at the black inside of the hat. She waited.**

"For what?" asked Draco.

"for it to yell out what house I was going to be in," said Leo, "Or maybe for it to talk,"

"**Hmm," said a small voice in her ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting … So where shall I put you?"**

"you could have fit into all the houses," said Sirius, staring at her.

"Yeah," said Leo.

"see, she's a nice all-rounder," said Ron.

"meaning she's good at everything," said Ginny.

"I wish," said Leo.

"Name one thing you're not good at," said Hermione.

"Studying," said Leo promptly, and half the room burst into laughter.

**Leo gripped the edges of the stool and thought, "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin."**

"Aww," whined Regulus.

"you can't blame me, what with all the horror stories I've heard about the house," said Leo.

"I guess," said Regulus, "But it would have been nice,"

"For who?" asked Ron.

"**Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that**

"I wonder what it would have been like if I had gotten into slytherin," said Leo.

"Well, it would have made second year a lot harder," said Ron.

"Not to mention every other year," said Hermione.

"I guess," said Leo, "But it would have been cool.

– **no? Well, if you're sure – better be GRYFFINDOR!"**

"Woohoo!" cheered all the Gryffindor's in the room.

"Aren't you going to cheer?" asked Leo, looking at James.

"Actually, I'm not a Gryffindor," said James.

"what house are you?" asked Leo.

"Ravenclaw," said a voice from behind the couch, and everyone turned to view a black haired, hazel eyed boy, who looked rather like her father. The sudden silence in the room was deafening.

"How did you get here?" asked James.

"With magic, you poor, stupid naïve…" started the boy, but was interrupted when a perfect copy of him whacked him over the head.

"Shut up Reggie," said the second.

"Aww, Riii!" whined _Reggie_.

"Reggie," said Ri warningly.

"Ri!" said _Reggie_ teasingly, before the two of them dropped onto either side of Leo, poor James being shoved away with a jolt of magic.

"Hello mother," said the two in unison, wrapping their arms around her, and dropping their heads onto her shoulders.

"Hello," chuckled Leo, reminded strongly of Fred and George.

"Mother, allow me to introduce_ Regulus_ and Rigel," said a disgruntled James from somewhere to her left.

"Your awesomest children," they said at once.

Leo couldn't help it. She put her arms around them and burst into laughter.

"you're not supposed to laugh!" said James, "You're supposed to reprimand them or send them to their rooms, or hex them, or threaten them with no dinner,"

"Lovely to meet you," said Leo through her laughter.

"Hey, are you really named after Snape?" asked Ginny.

"Yep," said _Regulus_, distinguishable only by the dimple in his left cheek. Rigel had the dimple in his right cheek.

"you poor boy," said Ginny.

"I know, I have to deal with being perfect," mock sighed _Regulus._

"Ignore him, he's an egotistical git," said Rigel.

"Ignore him," said _regulus_ with the same tone, "He's a bookish git,"

"Who does your homework," reminded Rigel.

"Shouldn't he be doing his own homework?" asked Leo.

"You try making him do it," said Rigel, with the same air Hermione used when talking about Leo and assignments, "It's impossible. Even if he is my twin,"

"They look like James," said Sirius, staring at them.

"No, we look like Grandpa," said _Regulus_.

"why would we want to look like our brother?" asked Rigel.

"you should want to look like me," said James, "I'm the person you should aspire to be,"

"I thought that was dad?" said Rigel.

"Or mum," said _regulus_

"They are adorable," squealed Hermione.

"What are we, plush toys?" asked Rigel.

"You're as adorable as plush toys," said Ginny. The female population of the room laughed as the two went red.

"Don't worry, we understand your pain," said George.

"For we were born perfect, like you," said Fred.

"After all, perfection does come in twos," said the two in unison.

"You know, I've just had a thought," said Leo, "The two of you are just like Sirius and Remus, and James is like my dad,"

"Marauder magic," said Sirius.

"Really," said Leo, "Maybe it's just from association,"

"Probably," said Remus and Rigel at the same time.

"Can we move on?" asked Mad-eye.

"you have no heart for the romantic," chastised Tonks, "They're having a family moment, with Sirius inserted,"

"Hey!" said Sirius, "how come Remus is a part of the family?"

"Cause we like him more," said Leo, grinning up at Sirius. They both missed the twins rolling their eyes.

No-one else did though.

"Shall we continue?" asked Ginny.

"Why not?" asked _regulus,_ "Me and Ri already know where you're up to,"

"Okay," said Hermione, bouncing in her seat.

"That's just plain scary," whispered the _twins_ to Leo.

"So, you're a Ravenclaw?" asked Hermione.

"Who?" asked Leo.

"James," said Hermione.

"Uh, yeah I am," said James.

"What houses are you two in?" asked Leo, looking to the _twins_.

"Slytherin," they said in unison.

"What?" asked Ron.

"think about it," said Ginny.

"Seeing as Leo is their mother, it's not that much of a surprise," said Hermione.

"I'm not sure if that is a compliment or an insult," said Leo.

"Hey, What did you two do with Lily and Ceri?" asked James.

"They're at home eating chocolate frogs and popcorn, watching the home movie being made by us reading the books of mum's life," said Rigel.

"I see," said James, "They better not be eating my chocolate frogs,"

"Can we move on now?" asked Ginny.

"why?" asked _Regulus_.

"Because I want to know what happens next," said Ginny.

"Alright," said Rigel, and the _twins_ settled down next to their mother.

**Leo heard the hat shout the last word to the whole Hall. She took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table. She was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, she hardly noticed that she was getting the loudest cheer yet.**

"You never do," said Ron.

"What are you talking about?" asked Leo.

"Precisely the point," said Ron.

"Oh shut up," said Leo irritably.

**Percy the Prefect**

There were sniggers at this, and poor Percy went red.

**got up and shook her hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"**

the twins now were doing so again, this time dancing around the room.

"Sit down!" snapped Molly, and the twins instantly sat, quite unfortunately, right in front of the Malfoy's. they did, fortunately, miss Lucius cringing away from them slightly.

**Leo sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff she'd seen earlier. The ghost patted her arm, giving Leo the sudden, horrible feeling she'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.**

"I hate that feeling," shuddered Draco.

"I wonder if a ghost can touch another ghost," said James.

"Why would they want to?" asked Leo.

"Well, they might feel lonely, or maybe they might feel an urge to um…you know…feel each other," said James awkwardly, as everyone turned to look at him.

"huh?" said Leo.

"He means the ghosts might feel the urge to have sex," said Blaise.

"Ohh," said Leo, a light of understanding shining in her eyes.

"Why would you want to know that?" asked Angelina.

"He's a Ravenclaw," said _Regulus_

"What did you expect?" asked Rigel.

"Moving away from _that_ disturbing topic," said Ginny.

**She could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest her sat Hagrid, who caught her eye and gave her the thumbs-up. Leo grinned back.**

"Hagrid is awesome," said Hermione.

**And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Leo recognised him at once from the card she'd got out of the Chocolate Frog on the train.**

"See, he uses the cards to remind people that he's powerful," said Leo, managing to look smug and paranoid at the same time.

**Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole Hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Leo spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.**

"I hate that turban," hissed Leo.

"I hate cheese," said Ron conversationally.

"what does that have to do with anything?" asked Angelina.

"Absolutely nothing," said Ron, "I just thought it needed to be said,"

"And now you see why he's our friend," said Leo.

"I thought he was the first person who sat next to you on the train," said Draco.

"This is the other reason," said Hermione.

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Turpin, Lisa" became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Leo crossed her fingers under the table**

"Why?" asked Rigel.

"It doesn't change the outcome," added _regulus_.

"Well, I guess it's a sign of what we hope," said Leo, her brows furrowing in thought.

Don't even try," said James, "Those two are known for their brain benders,"

"It's a gift," said the _twins_.

**and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"**

**Leo clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to her.**

"**Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Leo as "Zabini, Blaise" was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.**

**Leo looked down at her empty gold plate. She had only just realised how hungry she was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.**

"They always do," said Ron mournfully.

**Albus Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.**

"**Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!**

"I don't get that," grumbled Ron.

"It's simple really," said Luna, "He's just expressed all the fears of the Houses,"

"what?" asked Hermione.

"I'm going off in a slight tangent, but every student who is newly sorted has a fear, I suppose," said James, "Ravenclaw's are afraid to be Nitwits, Gryffindor's are afraid they might cry, Hufflepuffs are afraid of being the truly odd one out, and Slytherin's are afraid that they will need to be changed utterly, or tweaked,"

"Thus, Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak," said Luna.

"Oh," said Leo, "That's actually pretty clever,"

"If anyone understands it," said Blaise.

"didn't you?" asked Ginny.

"Well, I understand it now, but what's the point of saying it then if no-one gets it?"

"All it did was make us laugh," said Ron.

"Perhaps that was the point," said Tonks.

"To make you forget your fears," said Sirius.

"but that's ridiculous," said Leo, "If you forget what you're afraid of, then you forget why it is you fight,"

"Well said," grunted Mad-eye, "now let's continue,"

"**Thank you!"**

**He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Leo didn't know whether to laugh or not.**

"If in doubt, laugh," advised Remus.

"It always works," said Sirius.

"Really?" asked Leo, "Then what do you call what happened that Halloween,"

No-one needed to ask which Halloween she was referring to.

"Stress?" offered Sirius.

"Hmph," said Leo, and she turned back to Mad-eye.

"**Is he – a bit mad?" she asked Percy uncertainly.**

"**Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Leo?"**

"I can't believe you said that," said Leo.

"Why?" asked Percy.

"It's just totally not you," said Ron.

**Leo's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of her were now piled with food. She had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and, for some strange reason, mint humbugs.**

"I never understand the mint humbugs," said Charlie.

"They were there when we attended Hogwarts," said Arthur.

"Perhaps it's just a quirk of Dumbledore's," said Andromeda.

"You mean, out of all his other quirks," said Narcissa, raising an eyebrow.

"I suppose," said Andromeda.

**The Dursleys had never exactly starved Leo, but she'd never been allowed to eat as much as she liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Leo really wanted, even if it made him sick. Leo piled her plate with a bit of everything except the humbugs and began to eat. It was all delicious.**

"**That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Leo cut up her steak.**

"**Can't you –?"**

"You know, I always feel sorry for the ghosts," said Ron, "You know, never being able to eat food again,"

"And that is why most of the ghosts are women," said Ginny.

"Because all the men are put off by the food factor," said Hermione.

"**I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."**

"He never changes," chuckled Sirius.

"**I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you – you're Nearly Headless Nick!"**

"Here comes the good bit," giggled Leo.

"What good bit?" asked James.

"You'll see," said Hermione.

"**I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy –" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.**

"**Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"**

"Every first year regrets the question, Nick anticipates it, and all the other years think it's funny," said Charlie, chuckling.

"Do you remember your year?" asked Bill.

"Wasn't that when Mina James passed out over the pudding?" asked Charlie.

"Bloody hilarious," sniggered Bill.

"What are you talking about?" asked Rigel.

"You'll see," said Ron, grinning widely.

"the last time you said that Uncle Ron," said Rigel.

"You took us to visit mountain Trolls in winter," said _regulus_.

"Don't worry, this one is good," said Leo.

**Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.**

"It's going just the way he wants," said Remus.

"**Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell on to his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly.**

"Oh gross!" said James, looking green.

"Interesting," said the _twins_ at the same time.

"I love the look on their faces when they see it," said Bill.

"And then they try to pull away," sniggered Ron.

"How can you find that funny?" asked Draco.

"The same way we find what happened Last year funny," said Hermione.

"What about last year?" asked Blaise.

"The ferret incident," said Leo.

"That was not funny," said Draco, "It was traumatising,"

"For you," said Blaise, "Personally, I thought it was hilarious,"

"Let's continue," grumbled Draco.

**Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back on to his neck, coughed and said, "So – new Gryffindor's! I hope you're going to help us win the House Championship this year? Gryffindor have never gone so long without winning. Slytherin have got the cup six years in a row!**

"What?" screeched Sirius.

"the most shaming thing I have ever heard," said Charlie.

"Well, that changed after we got there," said Leo, grinning smugly.

"Just wait, we'll get it off you," growled Draco.

"How?" asked Hermione, "You never come up with anything good,"

"Well excuse us if we would like to stay alive to see the House cup," said Blaise.

"I'm always there," said Leo.

"You don't count," said Draco, "Your luck outweighs everything,"

"You know, Slytherin has held the cup for two years in our time," said _Regulus_

"What?" Sirius stared at the boy in shock.

"Yeah," said James, "But honestly, who can compete against the combination of Scorpius, _Reggie_, Rigel and Rosie?"

"Who's Rosie?" asked Ron.

"your daughter," said James, smirking at the paling Ron.

"My daughter?" he squeaked.

"Yep," said Rigel.

"In Slytherin?" asked Draco.

"Yeah," said James.

"But it's not surprising, cause her mum was in Slytherin too," said _Reggie._

"Who?" asked the entire Weasley clan.

"Can't say," said the three boys.

"What?" asked Ron, sounding slightly hysterical.

"Might change the outcome of the future generations," said Rigel.

"Let's continue," said Leo, taking pity on her hyperventilating friend.

**The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable – he's the Slytherin ghost."**

**Leo looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Leo was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.**

"Hey!" said Draco.

"You were an absolute brat," said Hermione.

"Not very surprising," said Ron.

"The baron's great," said Regulus, "If you get into his god books, he's always got the greatest stories,"

"Have you heard the one about when Gryffindor started a food fight?" asked Leo.

"Yep," said Regulus.

"What about the one when Hufflepuff got the giant squid?" asked Andromeda.

"I liked the one where Gryffindor and Slytherin try to woo Ravenclaw," said Narcissa.

"That one was funny," chuckled Leo.

"How come he talks to you?" asked Draco.

"Why not?" asked Blaise, "She's weird enough,"

"I am not weird," said Leo.

"Don't even ask that question," said Neville, "You beat everyone in the school hands down,"

"It's the celebrity life," said Ron in a stage whisper.

"**How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.**

"**I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.**

"I have!" said Leo, Sirius, Regulus, Andromeda and Narcissa.

"Notice it's only Leo and the Blacks," said Remus.

"That's because they're all insane," said McGonagall, "I had to teach them,"

"Any way, Leo's a Black," said Sirius, "Her grandma was one,"

"Then why haven't Draco or Tonks asked him?" asked Ginny.

"Dunno," shrugged Sirius, "They're Black genes probably aren't that strong,"

"Leo's grandma was a Black," said Hermione, "Why did she ask?"

"Well, her grandpa's mom was a Black, and James showed a lot of signs of being a black, and Lily was terrifying," said Sirius.

"Never stopped you from provoking her," said Remus.

"I needed some spice in life," said Sirius.

"You mean other than provoking McGonagall?" asked Remus.

"Yeah," said Sirius, "You know, something different,"

"It stops being all spicy if it's the same thing over and over," said Leo.

"which is why the same thing never happens twice in all of our adventures," said Ron.

"Where would the fun be in that?" asked Leo.

"I don't know about fun," said Hermione, "But it would be safer,"

**When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the puddings appeared. Blocks of ice-cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding …**

"I love desert," said James longingly.

"Treacle tarts the best," said Rigel.

"Nah-ah, custard tart is," said _Reggie_.

"Treacle!" said Leo.

"Custard," said Sirius.

"Treacle!" said James.

"Can we move on?" asked Angelina.

"Why?" asked Leo.

"this is a very important argument," said James.

"And at this rate, we'll finish in a couple of years," said Alicia.

"We're in a time stop," said Rigel.

"So?" asked Ron.

"It means that the time outside is frozen, and we don't age," said Luna, "In essence, we're all doing this in the span of a second,"

"Creepy," said Ron.

"I love the way our conversations go," said Andromeda, "We went from desserts to time so easily,"

"That's what happens when you lock people like us in a room together," said Tonks.

"People like what?" asked Draco.

"Us," said Tonks, shrugging.

**As Leo helped herself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.**

"**I'm half and half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mam didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."**

"That's dangerous," murmured Katie.

"How?" asked Hermione.

"Because you can't use magic on a Muggle," said Leo, "They automatically have the advantage,"

"and you think of that why?" asked Hermione.

I used to be safer before Hogwarts, cause I never knew I had magic," said Leo, "then after I got to Hogwarts, and they put the trace on me, things went from bad to worse,"

Everyone went silent, as they realised what she was saying

"And not all Muggles are as accepting of magic as your parents," said Luna, drawing people away from Leo's past.

"I see," said Hermione, though she narrowed her eyes at Leo.

Leo looked around the room, and noticed Snape had gone incredibly pale. She wondered vaguely at his reaction before she tuned into the story again.

**The others laughed.**

"**What about you, Neville?" said Ron.**

"**Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all Muggle for ages.**

"All Muggle?" asked Leo.

"Another way of saying squib," explained Neville.

"Ohhh," said Leo.

**My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned**

"What?!" shrieked McGonagall.

"It's nothing serious," said Neville.

"It most certainly is!" said McGonagall, "That is the height of irresponsibility!"

"I have to admit," said Leo, "That's actually worse than my relatives. Yours had good intentions,"

"It doesn't matter anyway," said Neville, "I'm practically a squib anyway,"

"I really don't see how that could happen actually," said Sirius, "You had some pretty powerful bouts of accidental magic when you were a kid,"

"Maybe it was your parents," suggested Ron, "I mean, Leo had trouble with her magic after all those dementors. Trauma pays a large part in magical recovery,"

How do you now?" asked Hermione.

"It's common knowledge," said Ron.

"No it's not," said Charlie, "I didn't know,"

"Nor did I," said Bill.

"I didn't" said Percy,"

"Maybe it's just one of those freak bits of info Ron reads and remembers every now and then," said Leo.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Ron.

"The amount of seemingly useless stuff you remember, despite your aversion to studying, is monumental," said Neville.

"Maybe it's your wand," interrupted Regulus. He continued when he received looks of total incomprehension, "If I'm not mistaken, that was your dad's,"

"Yeah, it is," said Neville looking surprised.

"But Nev, you have to have your own," said Hermione.

"Why?" asked Neville.

"Because everyone's magic is attuned differently," said Luna, "Just because it was your dad's doesn't mean that it will work for you,"

"Your grandmother should know better," said McGonagall.

"Another thing for the list," muttered Hermione, pulling out a bit of parchment.

"Where'd you get the parchment?" asked Regulus.

"It's Hermione," said Ron, "Don't ask,"

– **but nothing happened until I was eight. Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go.**

"What?" shrieked Hermione, "I never heard that!"

"I seriously need a talk with your grandmother," said McGonagall.

**But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here – they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great-uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."**

"Some gift," said Ginny, "He nearly kills you, and gets you a toad to compensate,"

"Trevor's great," said Neville defensively.

"Still, he should have gotten you something better," said Angelina, "I got a broomstick for my first bit of conscious magic when I was eight,"

**On Leo's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons **

"Not surprising at all," said Leo, "It's Hermione and Percy,"

**("I do hope they start straight away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult –"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing –")**

"Can't we do something more interesting?" begged Leo, "Turning a hedgehog into a pincushion is not only ironic, it's boring,"

"Just because you find it easy, Ms Potter, doesn't mean everyone else does," said McGonagall with one of her rare smiles.

"And, not to mention with that hag-toad going around, doing something outside the syllabus is like asking for disaster," said Hermione.

"Perhaps you should come in for extra tuition," suggested McGonagall, "Rather than try by yourself like your father"

"Sure," said Leo.

"Well, Lion girl," chuckled Sirius, "You really do have your dad's gift for transfiguration. He was, after all, the first of us to complete his transformation,"

"Continuing," grunted Mad-eye, before he started to read again.

**Leo, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin.**

"Good description," laughed Sirius.

"Umm, sorry sir?" offered Leo, catching sight of the black look her potions professor was giving her.

"Perhaps you need another set of detentions to remove your bad Manners, Ms Potter," said Snape silkily.

"You'll have to wait till next year, I'm afraid," said Leo flippantly, "I'm all booked out with Umbridge,"

**It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Leo's eyes – and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Leo's forehead.**

"What the bloody hell did you do, you greasy bastard," growled Sirius, pulling Leo close reflexively.

"Absolutely nothing," said Snape, actually looking confused, "I do remember trying to ignore that fool Quirrell,"

"Don't worry Siri," said Leo, "It was just Voldemort,"

"Just Voldemort?" squeaked Sirius.

"Compared to some of the other things we've faced, Leo's scar twitching a little cause of Voldemort is nothing," said Hermione.

"How is that supposed to ease my emotions?" demanded Sirius.

"Dunno," said Leo, "But could you ease up? I do need to breath!"

"Fine," huffed Sirius.

"**Ouch!" Leo clapped a hand to her head.**

"**What is it?" asked Percy.**

"**N-nothing."**

"The stutter was _so _believable," said Ron sarcastically.

"Shut up," said Leo.

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Leo had got from the teacher's look – a feeling that he didn't like Leo at all.**

"What clued you in?" asked Hermione sarcastically.

"It was the air of loathing," said Leo.

"Or perhaps it was just that inbuilt potter intuition," said Sirius.

"You and James were so paranoid that it doesn't count," said Remus.

"Which is how the pair of you got into the Auror Corps," said Kingsley.

"Why be an auror?" asked James, "It's a bit cliché,"

"We were in the middle of a war," said Sirius, "It made sense to have training,"

"why don't we continue, before they get into another argument about this," said Rigel.

"Another argument?" asked Leo.

"It's a common occurrence," said _Regulus_.

"Huh," said Leo.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, and added that to a separate piece of paper.

"**Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" she asked Percy.**

"You don't know?" gasped Sirius in mock horror, "What has the world come to?"

"You're level of madness," said Remus without missing a beat.

"Shut up moony," said Sirius.

"**Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to – everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."**

"One must know what you teach," said Sirius, "Which is why I passed with the highest marks in defence,"

"Which is why every Black passed with the highest marks," corrected Andromeda.

"Why?" asked Katie.

"Because we are Blacks," said Sirius, "We're the best, maddest family around,"

"Also because we've been studying the Dark arts since we were old enough to read and write," said Regulus, rolling his eyes at his brother.

**Leo watched Snape for a while but Snape didn't look at her again.**

"Good," mumbled Ron.

**At last, the puddings too disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The Hall fell silent.**

"**Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered.**

"What are we? Horses?" demanded Draco.

**I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.**

"**First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."**

"Yeah Fred and George," said Leo, giggling slightly.

"Honestly, don't you two ever listen," added Hermione, before joining in on the giggles.

"Hey!" said the twins, looking outraged.

"hypocrites," said Ginny," looking at Hermione and Leo, who were rolling on the floor.

"The forest is pretty cool though," said Rigel.

"Yeah," _Regulus_ added, "If we could have expeditions into the forest, it would be cool,"

"Yeah," agreed Leo, "Think of all the cool things we could see,"

"Like an acromantula colony, or testy centaurs, or man eating plants, or dangerous man eating animals," said Ron.

"Acromantula colony?" asked Sirius.

"We never found one," said Remus, "I thought it was only speculation,"

"firstly, Hagrid's there," said Leo, "Why wouldn't there be a colony?"

"And secondly, you are so lucky you didn't find it," said Ron, "The smaller ones come up to my knee,"

"And they talk," shuddered Leo.

"Moving on," said Hermione, "Or we'll be here till Christmas going over everything we've seen in the forest,"

"We'll be here till Christmas if you lot don't stop interrupting," growled Mad-eye.

**Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.**

"He looks at us too now," said Ron.

"**I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.**

"When will that ever stop?" chuckled Angelina.

"Never!" vowed the two sets of twins.

"Merlin save us all," said James.

"**Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.**

"Or do really well in their lesson," said Fred.

"And catch McGonagall's eye," said George.

"Don't you mean Neville's remembrall," said Leo.

"**And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."**

"That is the least subtle thing I have ever heard," said Remus, "If Sirius and James were there they would have gone exploring around midnight that night,"

"We would not have!" protested Sirius, "We'd go as soon as curfew was up,"

"I was trying to make you look more responsible," sighed Remus.

"Don't ruin our image," said Sirius, "We spent ages cultivating it,"

"Can we continue now, or are you going to argue about yourselves?" asked Leo, raising an eyebrow.

**Leo laughed, but she was one of the few who did.**

"I thought he was joking," said Leo defensively.

"I wish he had been," muttered Ron.

"**He's not serious?" she muttered to Percy.**

"No, I am," said Sirius.

"That joke is no longer funny," said James and Leo at the same time.

"It lost its appeal around 20 years ago," said Regulus.

"Pshh, 20 years?" said Sirius, "I was a baby,"

"Sirius, you're 35," said Remus.

"Shut up, do you want people to hear," hissed Sirius.

"We all know," said Rigel.

"We're waiting for you to catch on," said _Regulus_.

"**Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere – the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us Prefects, at least."**

"Really?" asked Sirius, "You're even worse than Remus,"

"Hey!" protested Remus.

"It's true," shrugged Sirius.

"**And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Leo noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.**

"That song is hideous," sneered Snape.

"Nah it's not," said Sirius, "It's great fun,"

"And absolutely no surprise that it was written by Gryffindor," said Leo.

"Really?" asked Hermione.

"Yep," said Leo, "With help from Slytherin. Apparently it drove Ravenclaw through the roof,"

"Who would have thought?" wondered Neville.

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself snake-like into words.**

"**Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"**

**And the school bellowed:**

"Come on Mad-eye, Sing it!" cheered Tonks.

"No," grunted the man.

"That's all right," said Sirius, cause we will,"

"to the tune," said Remus.

"What tune?" asked Ron.

"Haven't you heard the one Sirius and James wrote?" asked Remus.

"We taught it to the ghosts," said Sirius.

"oh you mean that one," said Angelina, "Everyone knows it"

"Righto then," said Sirius.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot." They bellowed with great gusto (**meaning Sirius, both sets of twins, Leo, Hermione, Neville, Draco, Blaise, Luna, Ron, Tonks, Remus, and Kingsley, the Chasers, bill, Charlie, regulus and Ginny**)

"That was fun," said Luna.

"In your opinion," sniffed Percy.

"Oh come on you stick in the mud," said Charlie, "Lighten up,"

"Not likely," said Ron, "He's a prefect,"

"So are you," said Hermione.

"Technicalities," said Ron.

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.**

"**Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"**

"Once again," said Draco, "We are not horses,"

"We could be centaurs," said Luna.

"We don't have the lower body of a horse," said Blaise gently.

"But he might see us like that," said Luna.

"Just drop it guys," said Leo.

**The Gryffindor first-years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase.**

**Leo's legs were like lead again, but only because she was so tired and full of food. She was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed**

"Why would you be surprised?" asked Narcissa.

"Because Muggle portraits don't move," said Hermione.

"They have films though," said Leo.

"What is a film?" asked Blaise.

"I'll play one for you later," said Leo, "there's a TV upstairs,"

**or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries.**

"They're the coolest," said James.

"It's like those old spy movies," said Hermione.

**They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Leo was just wondering how much further they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.**

**A bundle of walking sticks was floating in mid-air ahead of them and as Percy took a step towards them they started throwing themselves at him.**

"Peeves," said Neville, "He's an absolute menace,"

"Depends," said Sirius, "If you get into his good books he's loads of fun,"

"**Peeves," Percy whispered to the first-years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves – show yourself."**

**A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.**

"Nice to see he hasn't changed," said Regulus.

"**Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"**

"Come on," said Sirius, "You have to bargain with him,"

"That is why Peeves didn't like Percy," said Leo.

"Well excuse me for not knowing," said Percy.

"What kind of Gryffindor are you?" said Sirius.

**There was a pop and a little man with wicked dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.**

"**Oooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle firsties! What fun!"**

**He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.**

"**Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.**

**Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head.**

"Oh, poor Neville," cooed Luna, "Are you all right?"

"Uhh, yeah," said Neville, "That was ages ago,"

Leo and Hermione sniggered at the two.

"How long do you think it's gonna take for them to hook up," muttered Leo to Hermione.

"Before we graduate for sure," said Hermione.

**They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.**

"**You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us Prefects. Here we are."**

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.**

"**Password?" she said.**

"Normally she's more festive," said Sirius.

"It's the first day," said Remus, "She always tries to be formal on the first day,"

"Unless she gets drunk with Violet," giggled Leo.

"Or visit's those monks," said Ron.

"**Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it – Neville needed a leg up – and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

"Home," sighed Angelina.

"Nice and cosy," said Katie.

"And generally full of chaos," said Alicia.

"So, nothing new then," smirked Sirius.

"Actually, it was fine until Fred and George came," said Percy.

"And then it got even worse when Leo came," said McGonagall.

"I try," said Leo.

"I wish she wouldn't," said Hermione.

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase – they were obviously in one of the towers – they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep-red velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up.**

"Thank merlin for magic," said Andromeda.

"Imagine if we had to do it ourselves," shuddered Sirius.

"You only shudder because you put so many prank items in your trunk," said Remus.

"How else was I going to get them?" asked Sirius.

**Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pyjamas and fell into bed.**

**Perhaps Leo had eaten a bit too much, because she had a very strange dream.**

"stranger than the other ones?" asked Ron.

"I can't remember dreaming on the first night," said Leo.

**She was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to her, telling her she must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was her destiny. Leo told the turban she didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; she tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully – and there was Malfoy, laughing at her as she struggled with it – then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold – there was a burst of green light and Leo woke, sweating and shaking.**

"That is certainly one of your odder ones," said Neville.

"Oh gee, thanks," said Leo sarcastically, "Nice to know you keep track of these things,"

"Someone has too," shrugged Neville.

**She rolled over and fell asleep again, and when she woke next day, she didn't remember the dream at all.**

"That explains it," said Leo.

"So, who's reading next?" asked Sirius.

"Do you actually have to ask that question?" asked Remus, "why don't you use your eyes?"

"Cause I can't be bothered to," said Sirius.

"And it's fun," said _Reggie_.

"You two are so annoying," said Hermione.

"It's a gift," they said, grinning cheekily.

"Well, it's Mrs Weasley's turn now," said Luna serenely.

Mad-eye passed the book to her, and she opened it at the correct page.

"Chapter 8 – the Potions Master," she read.

"what how come Snape gets his own chapter?" whined Sirius.

"I'm sure you will too, once we get to you," said Leo.

"It still isn't fair," grumbled Sirius.

"Oh stop acting like a big baby," snapped Regulus, "It's like you never got past your fifth birthday when Aunt Cassie pinched your cheek and said you should stay that cute,"

"Please don't remind me," said Sirius, "It was one of the more traumatising parts of my life,"

"I thought that was when you walked in on Lily and James," said Remus.

"I just said that to make them feel better," said Sirius.

"Let's keep going," said Molly, "I want to get a start on lunch,"

"We do have a house elf," said Narcissa.

"No-one makes lunch like Molly," said Remus.

"Not even Dipsy can top it," said Sirius.

"I don't believe you," said Andromeda, Regulus and Narcissa at once.

"Trust me," said Sirius.

"who's Dipsy?" asked Ron.

"Our old House elf," said Sirius.

"I thought that was Kreacher," said Ginny.

"Well, him and Dipsy," said Sirius, "Kreacher was the head elf, and I think it went to his head, cause he was just downright nasty to all the other elves. Dipsy was nice though. She'd bleed a bucket if you so much as prick your finger,"

"The point is," said Regulus "Is that Dipsy could make a roast duck that made the duck want to be roasted. She could have made a strip of ancient beef jerky taste like a slice of heaven,"

"I always wanted to see if she actually could do that," said Sirius wistfully.

"you'd eat the jerky before she would have been able to do anything with it," sniffed Narcissa.

"Whatever," said Sirius.

"Can we start now?" asked Leo.

"Of course dear," said Molly, smiling at her, before silencing Sirius deftly.

**i'll have the next chapter up in a few days.**


	14. the potions master

_**Hello every one!**_

_**I am so sorry for not updating sooner, but I have had exams, and numerous other assessments to deal with. Well, here is the next chapter. I hope you like it!**_

_**By the way, I have noticed that loads of reviewers have been asking some questions, so I've answered them now. i've just figure out how to do that, so i'm sorry if i haven't gotten back to you.**_

8 – The Potions Master

"**There, look."**

"At what?" asked Angelina?

"Let mum read, and we'll find out," said Fred.

"**Where?"**

"**Next to the tall kid with the red hair."**

"Nice," said Ron.

"Well, you are tall," said Leo.

"Compared to Leo," said Hermione.

"**Wearing the glasses?"**

"**Did you see her face?"**

"**Did you see her scar?"**

"Cause it's the first thing everyone notices," said Neville, "The tiny scar under her fringe, which is seen by bending almost in two to peer under her lowered head,"

"I'm not that short!" protested Leo.

"Leo, you're the same height as a second year," said Ron.

"I think you stopped growing around that time too," said George, peering down at her.

"not true," said Hermione, "She was tiny in first year,"

"The amount of progress she's made since first year is monumentous," said Draco.

"I'm still here you know," said Leo irritably.

"Sorry, didn't see you there," said Fred. He yelped as she sent a hex towards him.

**Whispers followed Leo from the moment she left her dormitory next day. People queuing outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at her, or doubled back to pass her in the corridors again, staring. Leo wished they wouldn't, because she was trying to concentrate on finding her way to classes.**

"What?" yelped Sirius, "Why were you trying to find your classes?"

"Because I wanted to learn magic," said Leo.

"Unlike you," sniffed Hermione, "Some of us grew up without magic,"

"In plain, boring places," said Angelina.

"Or in places which are the very definition of plain, boring and un-magical," said Leo

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump.**

"I hate those ones," said Neville, "I can never remember where they are,"

Your dad was like that too," said Remus.

"Really?" asked Neville.

"So we have proof that it is genetic," said Leo.

**Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending.**

"Those are so annoying," sighed Ginny.

"No they're not," said Leo.

"Not for you," said Ginny, "You know them all,"

"The gifts of being Leo," said Blaise

**It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other and Leo was sure the coats of armour could walk.**

"They can," said Remus, "It took Sirius ages to figure out,"

"Did not!" said Sirius.

"Did too," said Remus.

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindor's in the right direction, but Peeves the poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase**

"Not true," said Sirius, "He's worth three locked doors, a trick staircase and a dead-end,"

"Well," said Andromeda, "Only to the people he doesn't like,"

"If you're in his good books he's very nice," said Narcissa.

**if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop waste-paper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"**

"He still knows that!" cheered Sirius.

"Sirius and James taught him that in fourth year," sighed Remus.

"I knew it was you two," Hissed Lucius.

"Crap," muttered Sirius, as the blonde glared at him.

**Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch.**

"Ugh! Filch is awful!" groaned Hermione.

"Why are you groaning?" asked Angelina.

"It's not like you've ever gotten in trouble with Filch," added Katie.

"But he's so annoying," said Hermione, "I have to find a different route to the library almost every day because he's blocked off some corridor or the other,"

"Or he's always there when you're doing something you really shouldn't be doing," said Ron.

"Or when you can't help it," shuddered Draco.

"I honestly don't know why Dumbledore keeps him," said McGonagall, "All the students hate him,"

"That is an understatement," said Fred.

"He is the bane of our existence," said George.

"Well, maybe for you," said Leo.

"Yeah, I forgot," said Fred.

"you have a different snaky Bane," said George.

"Can we continue?" asked Ron, "I'm hungry,"

"When aren't you?" asked Hermione, rolling her eyes.

**Leo and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning.**

"that has to be a record," said Sirius.

"You managing to live this long is a record," said Remus.

"Whaddya mean?" asked Sirius.

"If you keep interrupting every line you'll find out," said Remus.

**Filch found them trying to force their way through a door which unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.**

"I still don't believe it," muttered Leo.

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs Norris,**

"What, still?" asked Regulus.

"To be fair, she was just a kitten when we were in school," said Lucius.

"I'm surprised it lived that long," said Sirius.

**a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamp-like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later.**

"Looking at the evidence," said Hermione, "It's hard to believe Filch is a squib,"

"I know, right," said Leo.

"he's a squib?" asked Angelina.

"Yeah," said Ron, "We found out in second year,"

**Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins)**

"And the marauders," sighed McGonagall.

**and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs Norris a good kick.**

"I have managed to fulfil that ambition," grinned Leo.

"So have we," said Fred and George.

"She was too small to kick when we were at school," said Sirius sadly.

"He never kicked her because he thought she looked to cute," grinned Remus.

"did not!" protested Sirius.

"Hasn't any one else kicked the cat?" asked Hermione.

"You have?" asked Draco, looking shocked.

"Yep," said Hermione.

"Wow," said Angelina.

"How did you get away with it?" asked Katie.

"That's our secret," grinned Ron.

**And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the lessons themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Leo quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.**

"But," sighed Leo, "that didn't make it any less cool,"

"It just adds to the amazingness," said Hermione

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets.**

"I hate Astronomy," groaned Ron.

"Then why are you doing it?" asked Hermione.

"Because it goes with divination," said Leo.

"But you hate Divination too," said Blaise.

"Well, they are the easiest," shrugged Ron.

"And besides," said Leo, "I do Runes and arithmancy too,"

"What?" asked Alicia.

"when do you get the time?" asked Charlie.

"I have no idea," said Leo.

**Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learnt how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for.**

"I love herbology," sighed Neville.

"So did your mum," said Remus, and Neville grinned.

**Easily the most boring lesson was History of Magic, which was the only class taught by a ghost. **

"What?" asked Andromeda, "Still?"

"Albus won't let us be rid of him," sniffed McGonagall, "He says that Binns is a part of the castle's history,"

"And the declining numbers of History students who actually pass their NEWT's means nothing," growled Lucius.

"And yet another thing for the list," sighed Hermione.

**Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff-room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him.**

"How do you know?" asked Regulus.

"I asked," shrugged Leo.

**Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates and got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first lesson he took the register, and when he reached Leo's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.**

the room's Occupants burst into laughter at the thought of the tiny professor doing just that.

**Professor McGonagall was again different. Leo had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross.**

"Well," said Remus, "It's obvious Leo has her mother's brains,"

"IT's a good thing she did," said McGonagall, "Or I wonder where we would all be,"

**Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they had sat down in her first class.**

"**Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."**

"you know," said Sirius, "She never actually kicked me and James out,"

"That is because Black," said McGonagall, "Even though I disapproved of your actions throughout the years, I still recognised the talent the two of you possessed. I shudder at the thought of what you two would have done if I had thrown you out,"

"Huh," said Sirius, "Well thanks Minnie,"

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realised they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.**

"A very long time," sighed Hermione.

"A very, very long time," added Ginny.

"And really," said Leo, "Why do we need to learn to turn a matchstick into a needle?"

"So that you learn to focus your magic," said Molly.

"Oh," said the teenagers, looking slightly abashed.

**After making a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger and Leo had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how Hermione's had gone all silver and pointy and then showed Leo's fully transfigured needle. She gave Hermione and Leo a rare smile.**

**However, Leo noticed that Hermione had been shooting her rather nasty glares.**

"Sorry," said Hermione softly, "I was really jealous,"

"It's alright," said Leo, "You've more than made up for it since,"

"Wow," said Sirius, "That is skill, Lion girl,"

"I remember James doing that," chuckled Remus, "Before trying to see if it impressed Lily,"

"It didn't exactly work," sniggered Sirius, "Cause she had done it too,"

"And now we know why Leo's a Genius," said Ron.

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defence Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke.**

"That is one hell of an understatement," grumbled Draco, "It was a bloody bore,"

**His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days.**

"Well, "said Leo, grinning madly, "I suppose you could call him a vampire. He is a blood-sucking parasite after all,"

"Nice one," grinned Hermione, while Ron simply laughed.

"you mean he's a lawyer?" asked Luna.

"Good merlin," said Leo, "No!"

"If he was, we'd all be dead," said Neville, shuddering.

**His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story.**

"Who would?" sneered Draco, "What with him stuttering,"

**For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather;**

"Totally not a giveaway," said Ron loudly.

**for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well,**

"I wish," muttered Leo.

Sirius frowned at her, wondering what it was the trio were going on about.

**so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.**

"I wouldn't say protected," said Blaise.

**Leo was very relieved to find out that she wasn't miles behind everyone else.**

"I would say she was miles in front of most people," said Blaise.

"Aww," said Leo, "Thanks Blaise,"

**Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like her, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

"Well," started Draco, but was hit by a silencing charm from Leo.

"Don't even start," sighed Leo.

**Friday was an important day for Leo and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.**

"Well done," said Snape silkily, "Maybe next you might learn to read and write,"

"Hey!" said Sirius, "The tower is ages away from the Great hall. It's not their fault it's so hard to find the way,"

"Not that it took you very long," said Remus.

"**What have we got today?" Leo asked Ron as she poured sugar on her porridge.**

"You are such a sweet tooth," said Hermione.

"It's no surprise that Halloween is a nightmare," grumbled Draco, "Have you seen how much sugar she consumes,"

"And the proceeds to bounce off the walls," said Blaise.

"you remember fourth year, right," grinned Fred.

"I am still here," grumbled Leo.

"James used to be like that," grinned Sirius.

"so were you," said Regulus.

"It's something to do with being a Black," said Narcissa.

"It has to be," said Remus, "Because no matter how much you eat, you never gain weight,"

"It's a gift, dear moony," grinned Sirius.

"**Double Potions with the Slytherin's," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin house. They say he always favours them – we'll be able to see if it's true."**

"Well," said Hermione.

"we certainly know now," added Ginny.

"**Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Leo.**

"Yeah," said Neville, "You wish,"

**Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor house, but it hadn't stopped her giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.**

**Just then, the post arrived. Leo had got used to this by now, but it had given her a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners and dropping letters and packages on to their laps.**

"It's actually pretty cool," said James, "Right up until the huge package of stuff we've forgotten, left behind purposely, or might need just in case lands on the bacon,"

"you never know what you might need," said Leo.

"Like a harp?" asked Rigel.

"You never know," said Hermione.

"When would we ever need a harp?" asked _Reggie_.

"Just in case you run into a Cerberus," said Ron innocently.

"What Cerberus?" asked Molly suspiciously.

"the one behind Hagrid's hut," said Leo.

"there's a Cerberus behind Hagrid's hut?" asked Tonks incredulously.

"Well," said Leo, "not anymore,"

"Why was there ever a Cerberus behind.." started Sirius, "Wait it's Hagrid, why wouldn't there be?"

"Why don't we read now, and deal with that issue during lunch?" asked Narcissa.

"You seem awfully cool about it," said regulus.

"she's not," said Sirius.

"how do you know?" asked Regulus.

"Can't you see the death grip she has on Malfoy's arm?" asked Andromeda.

"Oh, yeah," said regulus.

"we are still here," sneered Lucius.

**Hedwig hadn't brought Leo anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble her ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls.**

"Hedwig's so sweet!" said Luna, smiling.

"Yeah she is," grinned Leo.

**This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note on to Leo's plate. Leo tore it open at once.**

_**Dear Leo**_**, (it said, in a very untidy scrawl)**

_**I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.**_

_**Hagrid**_

"How on earth are you able to read that?" asked Ron.

"It's a gift," said Leo, Rigel, _Reggie_ and James at once.

**Leo borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled "Yes, please, see you later" on the back of the note and sent Hedwig off again.**

**It was lucky that Leo had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to her so far.**

**At the start-of-term banquet, Leo had got the idea that Professor Snape disliked her. By the end of the first Potions lesson, she knew she'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Leo**

"what?" shrieked Hermione.

"Is there something we should know about?" demanded Ginny.

"What?" shrieked Leo, going a brilliant shade of red, while Snape spluttered from across the room, "NO!"

– **he hated her." **Interrupted Molly.

"Oh," said Neville, looking relieved, "The world is right again,"

"Imagine if he liked Leo," hissed Ron, and everyone paled.

"If he did," said Hermione, "I would start looking for flying pigs and intelligent trolls,"

"Detention," hissed Snape.

"For who?" asked Ginny.

"All of you!" he growled.

"Oh good," said Ginny, "That way you can deny any allegations made,"

"Ginny," whined Leo, "Shut up!"

**Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.**

"Nice décor," sniggered Sirius.

"Well," said Snape, "It certainly beats your old and dusty house,"

"excuse me?" asked Sirius, "that house is a heritage sight,"

"Or it would be if we ever got it registered," said regulus

"So that makes it ancient," shrugged Snape.

"What?" said Sirius.

"I think you just got owned Siri," said Hermione.

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register, and like Flitwick, he paused at Leo's name.**

"**Ah, yes," he said softly, "Leonora Potter. Our new – celebrity."**

"Bastard," hissed Sirius.

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

"What are you doing!" yelled Snape, as everyone came over to stare at him.

"We're trying to see what Leo saw," explained Ron.

"Go away," he yelled.

"**You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.**

"Yeah," said Neville, "He just terrifies everyone,"

"It's the cloak," said Leo, nodding sagely.

"You know," said Rigel, "I've just figured out where mum gets that terrifying cloak-of death stalk,"

"You copied Snape?" asked Neville.

"OF course she did," said Hermione, "Haven't you seen her stalking around the Room?"

"Which room?" asked Sirius.

"The Room of requirement," said Ron, "you know, the one not on the map,"

"It's un-plottable," grumbled Remus.

"Poor Remy tried everything short of asking Dumbledore and Flitwick," sniggered Sirius.

"I still don't know how you did it," grumbled Remus.

"What?" asked Leo.

"I'll show you later," said Sirius.

"**As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses … I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."**

"that was a great speech," said Regulus, "Right up until you called the dunderheads,"

**More silence followed this little speech. Leo and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

"Ha," sniggered Ron, "I had forgotten that,"

"What?" asked Neville, "When you see it almost every day,"

"Hey!" said Hermione, pouting.

"don't worry Mya," said Leo, "We still love you,"

"**Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"**

"That is a fifth year question," said Regulus hotly, "How can you expect her to know that,"

"Just keep reading," grinned Hermione.

**Leo paused for a moment, before answering as confidently as she could, as Hermione's hand shot into the air.**

"**A sleeping draught, sir," she said, "Called Draught of Living Death,"**

"How did you know that?" asked Remus, "I don't remember it being in any first year books,"

"I got some extra reading," Leo admitted sheepishly.

"I swear," said Ron, "There are times when the two of them never stop reading,"

"It's like they're addicted," said Neville.

**Snape stopped and eyed her coldly.**

"**Correct," he hissed.**

**He ignored Hermione's hand and continued.**

"**Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"**

"Why are you picking on her Snape?" growled Sirius, pulling Leo as close as possible.

"It was a bad day," replied Snape coldly, "and I was a bit shocked,"

"He admitted it," said Ginny.

"The whole world's gone topsy-turvy," said Luna, and everyone turned to stare at the blonde girl in shock.

"And when aunty Luna says it," said Rigel, "We know that end of the world is nigh,"

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat**

The teenager's in the room burst into helpless laughter, as the brunette girl went red.

"It's alright Mya," said Leo, "We still love you,"

"It's really unfair," mumbled Hermione, "They never pick me,"

"that's because you look to eager," said Ron, "You look like you just want to show off, rather than give the correct answer,"

"Wow," muttered Draco, "Weasel actually said something intelligent,"

"What was that Malfoy?" asked Ron, his ears turning red.

"Nothing you need concern yourself over," said Draco.

"Be nice," said Hermione sharply, "Both of you,"

"Aww, Mi!" whined Ron.

**but Leo was already answering**

"**In a goat's stomach, sir," she said. She tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, who were glaring at her.**

"I can't believe you knew that," grumbled Draco.

"Well excuse me for having more intelligence than you," said Leo.

"Not that it's a hard thing," said Hermione.

"Oi!" said Draco.

"**Correct again," he hissed softly, as a strange light entered his eyes.**

"Run!" yelled Charlie, "Run Leo, before he kills you!"

"It's been nice knowing you, baby sister," said Bill sadly, patting her on the head.

"You guys know that this happened like four years ago, right?" said Leo, looking disgruntled.

**Leo forced herself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. She had looked through her books at the Dursleys', but Snape obviously hadn't expected her to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?**

"I still don't know how you do it," said Neville, looking put out.

"She has near perfect memory," said Hermione, "Getting her to forget something is a miracle,"

"You won't believe how much blackmail stuff I've got," grinned Leo.

"It's utterly terrifying," said James.

"Not to mention how many photo's she has," said the _twins_.

"What photo's?" asked Draco suspiciously.

"The photo's you don't need to know about," said Blaise.

"What?" asked Ginny, "You're in on it too?"

"We made a deal," said Blaise, buffing his nails on his shirt.

"I'm so proud of you," chuckled Sirius, pulling Leo close.

"Why did you have to take after Sirius?" groaned Remus.

**Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.**

"**What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfs-bane?"**

**At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching towards the dungeon ceiling.**

"**They're the same thing, sir," Leo sad quietly, "But shouldn't you be testing the other students too professor, like Hermione,"**

"Great," grumbled Hermione, "Draw attention to me,"

"I think everyone had already noticed you," said Ron gently.

"I mean, if you're going to be leaping for the ceiling," said Tonks, "Then everyone is going to notice you,"

"Dora!" admonished Andromeda, "Be nice,"

"Yes mother," said Tonks, her hair going a faint shade of red.

**A few people laughed; Leo caught Seamus's eye and Seamus winked.**

"should I have to worry about the Seamus fellow?" asked Sirius teasingly.

"What?" shrieked Leo, "No! that's just…just no,"

"Besides," said Ron, "Seamus is taken,"

"By Dean," sniggered Neville.

"I don't know what you're sniggering about," said Leo, "Your bed is in-between both of theirs,"

"don't remind me," said Neville, going green.

"You're saying Finnigan and Thomas hooked up?" asked Draco.

"Language Draco," hissed Lucius.

"Yeah," said Leo, "they're dating.

"I knew it!" said Draco, looking smug.

"They're actually married in the future," said _Reggie_.

"Can we keep reading?" asked Molly, "At this rate we'll never finish. You keep interrupting every line or so,"

"If you don't want to listen, then leave," said McGonagall.

"And don't interrupt as much," said Remus sternly.

"Okay," mumbled the teenagers, and other young people.

**Snape, however, was not pleased.**

"**Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"**

**There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek, Potter."**

"What?" growled Sirius, "that is completely unfair!"

"Do you know how many points they get in the other classes?" asked Snape, "I have to even the odds somehow,"

"It's true actually," said Leo.

"And if you weren't so unfair in your classes, we wouldn't have to award them extra points," said McGonagall.

"It was like that when I came," said Snape, "As I recall, the first year I started teaching, Slytherin lost by 300 points,"

"What did we just say?" interrupted Molly, "If you want to argue about it, the do so over lunch,"

"Sorry," they mumbled, because really, Molly was terrifying.

**Things didn't improve for the Gryffindor's as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticising almost everyone except Malfoy whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron**

"I still don't know how you do it," said Leo, "Even when we watch everything you do,"

"It's like I'm cursed," moaned Neville, while Luna patted his shoulder comfortingly.

**into a twisted blob and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class were standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

"**Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"**

"Hey!" said Remus, "Don't be so mean,"

"I never did that," growled Snape, "Not for a first year,"

"You've been like that to Neville ever since day one," said Hermione.

"You really are very mean to him," said Leo.

"And he wonders why Nev's boggart is him," muttered Ron.

"Thanks Ron," said Neville.

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.**

"**Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Leo and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.**

"Oi!" yelled Sirius, why're you picking on her.

"**You – Potter – why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."**

"And I got that point back in herbology," said Leo smirking.

"what are you taking a point off for?" screeched Molly, "She didn't do anything wrong,"

Snape glared at the Weasley matriarch, and to shock of everyone in the room, she went quiet for a moment, before reading again.

**This was so unfair that Leo opened her mouth to argue, but Ron kicked her behind their cauldron.**

"**Don't push it," he muttered. "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."**

"What do you mean nasty?" asked Angelina flipping her hair, "that was nasty,"

"Not for Leo," said Neville.

"not for Nev either," said Hermione.

"If you think that's nasty," said Ron, "then you guys are so lucky,"

"If you are done discussing my behaviour," snarked Snape, glaring at them.

"What are you talking about?" asked Leo, "That's like a major topic during dinner,"

"There is actually a betting pool running for how many points he takes off," sniggered Draco.

"Oi!" hissed Blaise, "shut it!"

"I knew it!" crowed Leo and Ginny at once.

"you bet?!" hissed Narcissa at the same time.

"uhh," stuttered Draco, caught between the glares of his mother and best friend, "Oops,"

"Yes," crowed Leo again, "that's 10 galleons you owe me Nev!"

"You're gambling?!" hissed Molly dangerously, and the two teens shrank into themselves.

"Uhh," stuttered Leo, "Well…you see Mrs Weasley, its – um…just a …hum…fun pastime?"

"Fun pastime?" hissed Molly.

"Oh come on Molly," interrupted Remus, "It's a tradition. There is always a betting pool in Slytherin and Gryffindor,"

"They shouldn't have joined in," insisted Molly.

"What do you mean Molly?" asked Sirius, "You did,"

"what?" asked the entire Weasley clan.

"You know what that means right?" asked Bill.

"You, mother are a hypocrite," said Percy.

"You can't yell at us anymore for gambling," said Charlie smirking.

"you know," said Leo, "I wonder how all of you got into Gryffindor,"

"what do you mean?" asked Fred and George.

"you are a bunch of Slytherin's if I ever saw one," said James.

"What?" yelped Charlie, "don't be insulting,"

"Imagine is they did end up in Slytherin," shivered Draco.

"Well," said Rigel, "Rosie is,"

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Leo's mind was racing and her spirits were low. She'd lost two points for Gryffindor in her very first week – why did Snape hate her so much?**

"You're alive," said Hermione.

"You breath," said Ron.

"You exist," said Neville.

"shut up," grumbled Leo.

"No, really," asked Sirius, "why do you hate Leo so much,"

"None of your business Black," snarled Snape.

"**Cheer up," said Ron. "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"**

"And there begins the nightmare," said Hermione.

"Whaddya mean?" demanded Ron.

"Dunno," shrugged Leo.

**At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.**

**When Leo knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang – back."**

**Hagrid's big hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.**

"**Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.**

"Who's the sweetest dog I have ever met," said Leo.

"what about me?" asked Sirius.

"you're the smelliest, scruffiest dog," said Regulus.

"Oi!" said Sirius.

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire and in a corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

"**Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.**

"**This is Ron," Leo told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes on to a plate.**

"**Another Weasley eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the Forest."**

"And the other half chasing us away from the forest," grinned Sirius.

"We didn't go to the forest that often," said Remus, "Only on full moon,"

"I was talking about me and Reg," said Sirius.

"And I wish I hadn't," said Regulus, shuddering.

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"Acromantula, Siri, acromantula," said regulus.

"I know, right," said Ron, shuddering.

**The rock cakes almost broke their teeth, but Leo and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Leo's knee and drooled all over her robes.**

"I had to burn the robes," said Leo.

"That's why we wear old robes when we visit Hagrid," said Hermione.

**Leo and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git".**

"**An' as fer that cat, Mrs Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang some time. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her – Filch puts her up to it."**

"Of course he does," said Neville.

**Leo told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Leo not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.**

"**But he seemed to really hate me."**

"**Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"**

**Yet Leo couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet her eyes when he said that.**

"Hagrid sucks at telling lies," said Ron.

"And keeping secrets," said Leo.

"And changing the subject," said Neville.

"But he's a great friend," said Hermione, smiling.

"**How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot – great with animals."**

**Leo wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Leo picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cosy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:**

_**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**_

_**Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown.**_

_**Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.**_

"_**But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes-goblin this afternoon.**_

"Typical goblins," said Sirius.

"It's amazing that someone managed to break in," said Tonks, frowning.

"No it's not girl," barked mad-eye, "It's happened before. Non-one's ever managed to get out with anything though,"

"Not true," said James, "We know someone who did,"

"Leo," said Draco reproachfully.

"What?" asked Leo.

"Can't you ever be normal?" asked Blaise.

Why do you assume it's me?" asked Leo.

"Because it always is," said Ron.

**Leo remembered Ron telling her on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

"**Hagrid!" said Leo. "That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"**

"Very fishy," said Remus.

**There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Leo's eyes this time. He grunted and offered her another rock cake. Leo read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

"Yes," said Hermione, Ron, Draco, Blaise, Ginny and Neville at once.

"And how do you know that" asked Narcissa.

"Leo and trouble always go hand in hand," said Draco.

**As Leo and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse,**

"I hate that," grumbled Hermione, "We always have to,"

**Leo thought that none of the lessons she'd had so far had given her as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Leo?**

"And it starts," sighed Hermione.

"What starts?" asked Tonks.

"Leo's curiosity is aroused," said Neville.

"And when Leo's curiosity is aroused, she won't leave anything alone until she knows what's going on," said Ron.

"hey!" said Leo, "I'm not that bad! it's just, things keep finding me,"

"Actually," said Ginny, "that's true. All the interesting, suspicious bits of information find their way to Leo, until she doesn't have any other choice,"

"thank you Ginny," said Leo.

"Just because you get all that information doesn't mean it gives you the right to be stupid and go and deal with it," sad Sirius pulling her close, "You could have gone to a teacher, or to someone older,"

"Well," said Ron, "We went to McGonagall in first year, Lockhart in second year, things happened to fast in third year, and she was supposed to be safe in fourth year,"

"Well," said Hermione, "As safe as it possible for on to be in a tournament to the death,"

"So," said Leo, "Circumstances are always against me,"

"Why don't we go and have lunch now?" asked Molly, "And we can discuss your seemingly bad fortune about these things while we're eating,"

"Sounds like a great idea," said Ron, and all the other males in the room rumbled an agreement.

_**Well, that was chapter 8, the potions master.**_

_**Next time I'll have lunch, and answers to any questions the characters have asked. If there are any questions you have, please feel free to ask, and I'll try and answer them to the best of my ability.**_

_**Arana'a**_


	15. Important AN

Hello my lovelies!

This is an incredible importan notice.

I know I should have posted this earlier in the year, but I have had literally no time. It is no my year eleven (I'm Australian, so this is important) and I now have to dedicate the majority of my time to my studies for my WACE next year. Because of this my stories are now being put on the backburner. I will be continuing my stories, so don't panic, but they will be on a sort of hiatus for two years.

I will attempt to update when I can, but don't expect much for the next two years. Please don't be mad, and I hope you stick with me.

Thanks Arana'a


	16. lunchtime

The group trooped into the dining room, and seated themselves around the large table.

"Do you want any help Mrs Weasley?" asked Leo.

"Why not dear," said Mrs Weasley, as she bustled towards the kitchen.

Leo followed, her, beckoning Ginny and Hermione to follow. The three girls walked out of the room.

"Soo," said Sirius, "Anyone want to talk about all those 'circumstances' in detail?"

"Uhh," said Ron, "No?"

"So that was a yes," said Sirius, grinning evilly, "Why don't you start Ron?"

"But…" said Ron.

"You really should Weasley," said Draco smiling sweetly, "Seeing as you're Leo's oldest friend,"

"Shut up Malfoy!" snapped Ron angrily.

"Well?" said Sirius.

"Don't be mean Sirius," said regulus reprovingly.

"But that doesn't mean we're letting you get out of telling us," said Remus.

"I would have thought you would have a general idea of what we do," grumbled Ron, "Considering how many articles we score in the daily prophet,"

"Who reads it now-days?" scoffed Tonks, "It's generally full of rubbish,"

"But it does give one a general idea of what's going on," said Draco. Seeing the incredulous looks directed his way, he elaborated, "If one strips away all the rubbish, and tries to look at it from a severely unbiased, distant view,"

"Yeah," snorted Blaise, "Like that ever happens,"

"Only if Rita Skeeter isn't writing," said Neville.

"Which is like never," said Angelina.

"Can you get to the point," said Sirius.

"Which is?" asked Ron.

"What were the extenuating circumstances that Leo was talking about?" asked Remus.

"Well," said Neville, "It's sorta just Leo's luck. I mean, if you think about it, by themselves, all the things Leo's encountered are completely harmless,"

"They stop being harmless when you put them together," said Ron.

"Cause the picture they paint is actually pretty incriminating," said Draco, "I mean, I encountered some of the things Leo did, but not in the way she did,"

"Not to mention that a lot of it was organised to come to Leo in a way so that she could figure everything out," said Fred.

"And the tournament was completely unnecessary," said George.

"What do you mean?" asked Sirius warily.

"Leo was told that being picked out of the goblet resulted in a magical oath that would result in her losing her magic, if she broke it," said George.

"Only for someone of age," said Percy, "In actual fact, all Leo needed was a letter from her magical guardian saying that she couldn't compete, and she could have left. If they didn't get a letter, all they had to do was play some harmless games, like chess, and she could have left,"

"Dumbledore is her magical guardian," said Neville. Catching sight of the look Sirius was giving him he continued, "Or he was at the time. We looked it up. All he had to do was say that she couldn't compete,"

"But he practically forced her to compete," said Ginny walking in.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping with lunch?" asked Charlie, "And not eavesdropping,"

"I've come to ask if you're in the mood for roast chicken or pie," said Ginny.

"Pie!" said her brothers at once.

"Shouldn't you ask the rest of us first?" asked Neville.

"You guys want pie, right," said Bill, folding his arms and glaring at each of them, mirrored by his brothers.

"Yeah!" said James, "Gran makes the best pie!"

"I think roast chicken is a better idea," said Rigel.

"Yeah," said _Reggie_, "We haven't had in ages,"

"It's your own fault for staying at Hogwarts for Christmas," said James.

"There was a ball," said Rigel, "We couldn't not go, unlike a certain brother of ours who has no manners,"

"What, I wanted to go see mum and dad," said James.

"And how much trouble did you get into with your girlfriend?" asked _Reggie_, "As I recall, she stopped being your girlfriend shortly after,"

"I was looking for an excuse to dump her for ages," groaned James, "She was a nightmare,"

"You could have borrowed that book from Uncle," said Rigel.

"Yeah, don't you Ravenclaw's like reading?" asked _Reggie_.

"You're just jealous you never had a girlfriend," said James.

"Aren't you boys just a little too old for that," said Sirius, trying to be the peace maker. He ignored the eye roll he got from the three boys, assuming that they disliked being reprimanded. However, everyone lese recognised it for what it was. Boys had a thing about being reprimanded by their fathers after all.

"Nope," said _Reggie_, grinning suddenly, "But that doesn't stop you,"

"What have I got to do with it?" asked Sirius, frowning in confusion, and _Reggie_ realised his mistake.

"Well if an old man like you acts so silly, oughtn't we be able to," asked Rigel, shooting his brother a look.

"Just because you can," said Sirius, "Doesn't mean you should. You don't go around cursing people randomly do you?"

"Well, no," said James.

"Then why should you go around arguing like two year olds?" asked Sirius.

"Well," said _Reggie_, "I…"

"Why would you want to go around arguing like a two year old anyway?" asked Remus.

"it's not like it gets you-" started Sirius

"The chicks," finished Rems, in a tone that screamed how many times he'd heard it before.

"Whatever," said _Reggie_.

"Getting back to the point…" started Lucius irritatedly. He really couldn't believe how daft his -in-law could be sometimes.

"Which one?" asked Fred and George in unison.

"Pie or chicken?" interrupted Ginny.

"What about both?" asked Neville, "There are a lot of people, and everyone likes both of them,"

"Sounds great," said Ginny, and she left.

"Now going back to the first point," said Regulus.

"Well, aren't we reading all these books to find out why these things happen?" asked Alicia.

"Actually, we've only found out about these events," said Kingsley, "We haven't found a reason for them as yet,"

"Well," said Ron, still a bit miffed, "You can't blame us! We've been looking for the reasons for far longer than you have,"

"So you need our help," said Draco.

"Actually, we just pulled in everyone who we thought would benefit from reading the books," said Rigel, "We never actually thought about getting you together to figure things out,"

"Have you figured things out?" asked Sirius, "You know, in the future?"

"Sort of," said James, "We know some things, and there are loads of things mum and dad never tell us,"

"but I don't think that even they've managed to figure everything out," said _Reggie_.

"So now what do we do?" whined Sirius.

"We wait," said Regulus, honestly tired of having to explain everything to his Gryffindor of a brother.

"For what?" asked Katie.

"For all the information," said Lucius, "Being in book form, there have to be some things that only the reader would ever find out, and not the characters,"

"Nice to see how you deem us all as nothing more than characters," said Sirius.

"In the books, we are," said Lucius, "They are about us,"

"We're not going there," said Narcissa firmly.

"Aww," whined Sirius and regulus at once.

"No!" said Narcissa, "We are not having a repeat of last time,"

"Do we want to know?" asked Draco.

"no," said Andromeda, shuddering slightly, "You don't want to know,"

There was a brief silence as everyone stared at each other, trying to think of what to say.

"So," said Sirius, not really surprising anyone that he had chosen to break the silence, "Want to explain your behaviour towards Leo, Snape,"

"Really Sirius?" interrupted Regulus exasperatedly.

"What?" said Sirius.

"I can't believe you," said Regulus, "You're so childish. He explained before, and you're just dragging it out,"

"Am not!" said Sirius.

"You're not going to win this argument, Padfoot," said Remus, "Let it go,"

"But you heard what he did," whined Sirius.

"And he explained," said Remus, "So shut the hell up, and let it go,"

"Wow," said Ron, staring at Remus, "I've never actually heard you swear,"

"He did spend seven years with Sirius," said Kingsley, "No-one stays innocent around Sirius,"

"What are you implying?" demanded Sirius.

"He was implying that you corrupted me," said Remus, sounding very amused.

"Me? Corrupt you?!" said Sirius, "Never!"

"Sure Sirius," said Remus.

"Why are we arguing Remy?" whined Sirius in a small voice.

"Because you're a moron," said Remus.

"Well, Sirius," said George, "For a so-called master marauder,"

"You just got owned," sniggered Fred.

"By another master marauder," said Ron.

"What do you mean so-called?" demanded Sirius, "saying that I am not a marauder is a direct declaration of war!"

"Oh no," moaned McGonagall, putting her head into her hands.

"I will be in the lab," said Severus, getting up rather hurriedly, "Do not disturb me,"

"You getting into teams?" asked Fred.

"Or is it every man for himself?" asked George.

"Family teams," said Sirius at once.

"We outnumber you then," said Charlie.

"We have more experience," said Regulus.

"This is assuming that we wish to join in," said Andromeda.

"But Andy!" whined Sirius, "This is a matter of Black honour!"

"Which is as twisted as mother's sanity," said Regulus.

"That's entirely besides the point," said Sirius.

"Hold up a moment," said Kingsley, "Isn't there already some competition that Bill's organised?"

"It can wait," said Bill, "And this could be a part of it,"

"Don't encourage them," snapped McGonagall, looking pale.

"Or we might all end up dead," said Neville.

"You know, I think I'll pass on this one," said Remus.

"What?" asked Sirius, "Why?"

"Because I'm by myself," said Remus.

"That's never stopped you before," said Minerva.

"It's cool moony," said Sirius, "I would have felt bad about beating you anyway,"

"you, beat me?" scoffed Remus, "in your dreams. You don't have the intelligence to do so,"

"That's what you think," said Sirius, "I'll own you any day,"

"you wish," scoffed Remus, "I withdraw my withdrawal. Prepare to be beaten,"

"Hah!" sniggered Sirius, leaving Remus to stare at him confusedly.

"You know," said Regulus thoughtfully, "Maybe that's why Sirius always acted like a moron,"

"I thought that was because he was a moron," said Narcissa sweetly

"No," said Regulus, "It's because he's trying to put up a front so people underestimate him,"

"That actually makes sense," said Kingsley, "I always wondered how on earth he passed his NEWT's,"

"I'm still right here," said Sirius.

"Wow," said George, "I didn't notice you there,"

"You know George," said Angelina, "How there are those times that you keep silent?"

"Yeah," said George, "what about them Angie?"

"This is one of those times," said Angelina.

"But I thought you enjoyed my stimulating conversation," grinned George.

"You wish Weasley," said Angelina, tossing her hair.

"You know, we really should take this opportunity to talk about some of our past grievances before Leo comes in," said Blaise, interrupting the budding argument.

"And what would those be?" asked Draco.

"Seriously, mate," said Blaise, rolling his eyes at the blonde, "You need to pay more attention to things. You're so up in the clouds you can't see what's right in front of your nose,"

"Excuse me?" asked Draco, sounding highly insulted.

"I think it's a Black thing," said Remus, "Being ditzy,"

"I am not ditzy!" protested Sirius.

"How do you explain all the times you managed to get Lost in Hogwarts?" asked McGonagall.

"Understandable," said Neville, "Hogwarts is pretty large,"

"this was the guy who hand drew the entirety of Hogwarts not unplottable in his third year," said Remus, "He was still getting lost in his seventh year,"

"I had more important things on my mind," sniffed Sirius.

"More important than your NEWT's?" asked Remus.

"You wouldn't understand," sniffed Sirius.

"Be that as it may," said McGonagall, "He wasn't the only Black I've caught out like that,"

"What?" asked Remus.

"I have on occasion, caught Narcissa, Bellatrix, Andromeda and even young regulus, all claiming they were lost,"

"Well excuse us for taking a walk," sniffed Regulus.

"Three corridors away from the Hufflepuff dormitories?" asked Lucius.

"I didn't know where they were," said Regulus, "I was looking for the kitchen's,"

"You were way off," said Sirius.

"And we're way off topic," said Charlie.

"That's a hazard of talking to us," said Remus, "Sirius can't stick to a thought for longer than a minute,"

"you make me sound like a toddler," grumbled Sirius.

"That's because you act like one," said Andromeda.

"Haha," said Sirius sarcastically.

"Glad you found it funny Pads," said Remus, "So, are there any problems anyone has that they wish to bring to the conversation?"

"Yeah," said James, "What's up with having our OWL's and NEWT's only a year apart?"

"Any other _relevant _questions?" asked Remus, glaring at the teen.

"Geez," mumbled James, "It was just a question,"

"So, if no-one has any questions," said regulus, "Who wants to fetch Severus rom his lab?"

"We could go watch him for a bit," mused Blaise.

"I need notes on the Calming draught," said Neville.

"I need some on the strengthening solution," added Ron.

"And?" asked Regulus.

"We're going to go and ask him," said Draco.

"correction," said Luna, "Draco and Blaise will ask him, and we'll stand behind them,"

"Why?" asked Regulus, "Sev's a nasty bastard when you interrupt him at his brewing,"

"You're just bitter about that time he hexed you pink and red for Halloween," snickered Lucius.

"Whatever," growled Regulus, glaring at the blonde.

"You have forgotten Mr Black," said McGonagall, "Severus is the potions teacher in Hogwarts. He is slightly more lenient now,"

"Amazing," muttered Sirius under his breath.

"Slightly meaning he won't hex them into next week," smirked Lucius.

"I don't even know how he managed to get his hands on time dust at the age of sixteen," chuckled Narcissa.

"He did?" asked Blaise, "Don't tell Leo,"

"Don't tell me what?" asked Leo, walking in.

"Nothing," said Draco.

"We're going to get Snape, and ask for notes on various potions," said Neville, "Coming?"

"Why not," said Leo, and they trooped out of the room. (**they being Draco, Blaise, Ginny, Leo, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, Katie, Alicia, Angelina, **_**Reggie**_**, Rigel and James**)

"I can't believe they would go willingly," said Sirius, "We better check them for curses.

"Actually pads, he's a good teacher," said rems.

"Don't blaspheme," said Sirius.

"it's true," said Fred.

"the number of passing potions NEWT's from Hogwarts has increased amazingly," added George

"He may be a foul tempered bastard," said Bill, "But he does teach people well, and it's rare for a potions accident to actually occur in his classes,"

"Unless you're as clumsy as Tonks," grinned Charlie.

"Weasley, can I remind you that you are still in my hexing range," snarled Tonks.

"Sorry," mumbled Charlie.

"So now what" asked Katie.

"We wait for them to finish and convince Snape to come for lunch," Said Fred and George.

The group of teens trooped into the potions lab, and Severus looked up in irritation.

"What is it?" he asked acidly.

"We came for some notes," said Luna, when no-one else answered.

"On what?" asked Severus.

"Um, calming draught, strengthening solution, draught of living death…um…" said Leo, trying to think.

"Aging solution," said Katie helpfully, "And regerminating potion,"

"I need notes for Polyjuice," said Hermione.

"What do you need notes for?" asked Ron and Leo.

"Research," said Hermione.

"I'm not giving you notes on Polyjuice Granger," growled Severus.

"I'm doing verituserum," said James.

"That's not in the Hogwarts curriculum," said Leo.

"Yeah, I'm doing extra-curricular research," said James.

"So how come he gets veritaserum notes, and I don't get Polyjuice," complained Hermione.

"Oh shut up, the lot of you!" growled Severus, "Line up and tell me which notes you want,"

Dutifully, the teenagers lined up, and they were soon all hunched over various sheaves of notes, copying industrially.

"Sev?" asked Regulus, sticking his head in. he stopped short at the sight.

"What?" asked Severus irritably.

"I don't believe it," mumbled Regulus, "I just can't believe it,"

"If you're not here for a good reason, then go away," snapped Severus.

"Sir, I have a question," said Hermione softly.

"What?" asked Severus, who felt he really should be used to all of her questions.

"most of the ingredients for Polyjuice are pretty common, and this has been a work in progress for centuries," said Hermione.

"Yes?" asked Severus testily.

"So, are there any other versions of Poly juice?" asked Hermione, "You know, from before this version was perfected?"

"There are many," said Severus, "But the majority are incredibly unstable, or have negative effects if taken more than once. There is only one other that is almost as stable as this one, but that recipe is completely classified,"

"Why?" asked Leo.

"Because it leads to several other potions that are illegal," said Severus.

"I have a copy of it," said Regulus helpfully.

"Really?" asked Leo and Hermione at once.

"We do too, but father won't let me see it," complained Draco.

"I think there's a copy in our library too," said Neville, "But it's probably in the section that gran's banned me from,"

"Right," said Leo, a glimmer in her eye.

"Forget it potter," said Severus, "You aren't going to get your hands on it until you've gained a potions mastery,"

"That isn't too hard for Leo," said Ron, "And it's not like we can do any damage with it,"

"Ron, it leads to other illegal potions," said Angelina, "In the hands of you three, it's potentially catastrophic,"

"And so was a lot of other stuff we've done," said Leo, "We haven't blown up the castle, or killed anyone as yet,"

"Unless you count Quirrel," said Neville.

"That was Voldemort," said Leo.

"You aren't getting a copy potter, and that's final," said Severus.

"Alright," whined Leo, getting back to her notes.

"You had better hurry up," said Regulus, "Molly's serving lunch,"

"She is?" the question came from several parts of the room, and regulus watched in amusement as the note-taking was finished in record time. Severus put a stasis spell on his potion, and followed the students out of the room.

"you know," said regulus, "I would never have believed anyone if they had told me you would be that lenient with anyone in your lab a week ago,"

"I wasn't a teacher then," said Severus.

**So this is the lunch chapter peoples. I'm kinda finishing there, cause otherwise it would be too long. Sorry about the delay, but things have been piling up on me. The next chapter in the book should be up soon.**

**Thanks,**

**Arana'a**


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